Benefits cheat tagged

Mar 25 2010 by Alistair Watson, West Lothian Courier

A MAN who fraudulently claimed over £9000 in benefits while he was working has been electronically tagged.

Livingston Sheriff Court heard that between January 2006 and June 2007 Robert Condy claimed nearly £6000 in income support from the Department of Work and Pensions.

The 32-year-old was also paid £3204 by West Lothian Council for housing and council tax benefit.

However it emerged that Condy, who told officials he was unemployed, had been working at Broxburn Nursing Home.

Last week Condy, whose address was given as Kelso Street, Broxburn, pled guilty to the offences.

His solicitor, Elaine Brunger, told the court her client had arrangements in place to repay the money.

Ms Brunger added: “Clearly it will take a significant amount of time to repay these sums.

“He did not take his responsibilities seriously enough in so far as making sure he was on the right side of the law with his benefits and work.

“There is a clear link between his alcohol problem and his mental health issues.”

Ordering Condy to stay within his home between 8pm and 8am for the next nine months Sheriff Donald Muirhead said he had come close to jailing Condy.

Sheriff Muirhead said: “You understand that the fraudulent removal from the rest of us of over £9000 is a very serious matter and I am very close to giving you a custodial sentence.

“But you do have a background not only of heavy drinking, which is not an excuse, but of serious depression and I think in the circumstances it would be appropriate to give you a restriction of liberty order.”