Gayton le Marsh man fined after pleading guilty to benefit fraud

Robert Paul Stephen, of Main Street, committed the offence on February 22, 2016, when he ‘dishonestly made a statement or representation to the Department for Work and Pensions which was false’, with a view to obtaining a benefit for himself, namely Jobseeker’s Allowance.

Stephen had completed a claim form and declared that the information he had provided was correct and complete, whereas it was not, as he had failed to declare that he was in receipt of private pensions.

Stephen appeared at Boston Magistrates’ Court on August 22, where he pleaded guilty to the offence.

The court fined Stephen £1,500 and ordered him to pay a further £85 in court costs and a £120 victim surcharge, bringing his overall total repayment to £1,705.

Stephen’s guilty plea was taken into account by the court when sentencing.