A MAN facing allegations of cheating the benefits system out of more than £15,000 over a nine-year period denied in court yesterday that he had done anything wrong.
Gary Edward Simcoe, 44, pleaded not guilty at Harrogate Magistrates' Court to four charges of obtaining benefits from Harrogate Borough Council by deception.
Mr Simcoe, of Wellfield Court, Pannal Ash Road, Harrogate, was accused of two offences of wrongly obtaining housing benefit, involving sums of £14,414 and £1,288, together with one of obtaining poll tax benefit of £35.57 and another of getting council tax benefit of £62.99, all without disclosing he was receiving a pension. The offences were said to have been committed between November, 1992, and June last year.
The court ordered the case to be tried by jury. Mr Simcoe was remanded on bail until May 23 when he is expected to be sent to York Crown Court.
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