A County Durham man was handed a suspended prison sentence for committing benefit fraud and claimed Universal Credit falsely.

Ricky Adam Moore, 36, of Hall Lane Estate, Willington, dishonestly failed to notify the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) of a change of circumstances relating to his Universal Credit claim.

According to court reports, Moore's children were no longer in his custody between March 28 and November 27, 2022, affecting his eligibility for the benefit.

Moore appeared in court in Peterlee Magistrates' Court, where he pleaded guilty to the charge, contrary to section 111A(1A) and (3) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992.

The court learned that the funds had been used for hotel stays, deeming the offence serious enough for an eight-week jail sentence, which was suspended for 18 months.

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Moore was also ordered to complete 300 hours of supervised unpaid work over the next year.

His sentence could be activated if he fails to comply.

In addition to the suspended sentence and unpaid work requirement, Moore was ordered to pay a surcharge of £154 to fund victim services and £85 in costs to the Crown Prosecution Service.