A MAN who continued claiming benefits despite working as a meat preparer was yesterday ordered to repay £10,000.

Durham Crown Court heard that, over a three-year period, Philip Anthony Quinn received £20,541 overpayment by the Department for Work and Pensions.

Roger Moore, prosecuting for the department, told the court that over the same period, Quinn failed to claim tax credits to which he was entitled, resulting in the loss of £10,000, which had been agreed by Quinn.

Mr Moore said Quinn intermittently worked in the meat preparation industry, at times doing more than one part-time job.

Fifty-year-old Quinn, of Wells Court, Darlington, admitted a sample charge of claiming benefits after failing to declare he was working.

Eight other similar charges were dismissed by Judge Beatrice Bolton after the prosecution agreed not to pursue them, following the guilty plea to the single count.

Judge Bolton imposed a seven-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, and ordered Quinn to repay £10,000.

Quinn agreed to pay an initial sum of £3,300 within 36 days, and the remainder within 12 months.

Passing sentence, Judge Bolton said it appeared that when Quinn first made the claim, he was genuinely unemployed, but that he failed to declare periods of work that followed.

The court heard that a quirk of the case was that Quinn deprived himself of some money to which he was entitled at the same time as he was making the false benefit claims.