Ex-soldier in court for £18k benefit fraud

A former soldier from Halesowen who fraudulently claimed almost £18,000 in benefits while working as a cleaner has been ordered to carry out unpaid work in the community.

Gary Petford, aged 54, is now back on incapacity benefits despite his cheating record – but the Department of Work and Pensions is deducting the money he obtained fraudulently from his payments.

Petford, of Stourbridge Road, admitted four fraudulent claims totalling £17,775 worth of incapacity, housing and council tax benefits. Dudley magistrates ordered him to pay £100 towards the prosecution costs.

Miss Claire Beddow, prosecuting, said Petford initially started claiming incapacity benefit legally in September 1993 after suffering a broken wrist.

But, the Department of Work and Pensions discovered that, from August 2008 to November 2009, he had been working as a cleaner for Manheim Europe. When he was interviewed, Petford admitted he had previously been a cleaner at Birmingham University from November 2006 to January 2008.

Miss Beddow said the department is making deductions from the incapacity benefit he now receives for having diabetes and blood pressure problems to recover the money he claimed wrongly.

Mr Richard Burch, defending, said Petford made the false claims to get money for his 80-year-old mother who had financial and health problems.