THREE Barnsley residents have been taken to court by the council for benefit fraud totalling nearly £18,000.
Carl Nicholls, formerly of Upper Sheffield Road, Barnsley, falsely claimed £12,160 in housing benefit by failing to report that his landlord was actually his father.
Barnsley Magistrates sentenced the 33-year-old to eight weeks in prison, suspende
d for 12 months, and ordered that he undertake 150 hours' unpaid work in the community, and pay costs of £300.
Derek Mosley, 60, of Caistor Avenue, Kingstone, pleaded guilty to obtaining £3,096 in housing benefit and council tax benefit by failing to declare that his son, James Mosley, had started work.
He told Barnsley Council in February that his son James was working as a painter and decorator, but had failed to report the change at the time James started work in July 2007. Magistrates ordered a conditional discharge for three years and £295 costs.
Tracey Senior, 35, of Airedale Road, Darton, pleaded guilty to obtaining £2,732 in housing and council tax benefit by failing to report that her husband, Darren Senior, was working as a driver.
Senior admitted she had submitted false statements to obtain benefit and failed to tell the council when her husband started work. She was given a three-year conditional discharge £295 costs.
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