Sheffield benefit cheats had £15K saved in a safe

Emil Bandy and his wife Dagmar Bandyova used fake Slovakian ID to secure work with the Barker Ross recruitment agency in Lincoln in June 2018, and with the Nexus agency in Mansfield, in December 2018.

Prosecutor Neil Coxon said the wages they earned would have affected the carer’s allowance they claimed between August 2017 and May 2019, and they were overpaid by £2,877.

"They are both Slovakian nationals and they have lived in the UK for many years," he said. "As Slovakia is a member of the European Union they both had a legal right to work here, and were entitled to claim statutory benefits, including child tax credits, housing allowance and carer’s allowance.”

Police searched their home on Hinde House Lane and found a number of documents in different names and £14,825 in a safe.

Mr Coxon said Bandy paid £300 for the fake ID and a National Insurance card through an acquaintance he didn't wish to name.

"He told police he received benefits since 2012 and said he wasn't making any false claims,” he said.

“He said the money in the safe was from his son's legitimate earnings and money saved from benefit payments.

He said they had no previous convictions in this country but Bandy was investigated for dishonesty.

Gerard Hillman, mitigating, said the couple had not breached immigration rules.

"It was not thought up by him," he said. "He does not have the wherewithal to think up such a sophisticated scheme.

“They have shown remorse. This is out of character for both of them.”

Bandy, 42, pleaded guilty to fraud and possession of the fake identity cards, and Bandyova, 41, admitted possession of the fake identity card.

Judge Graham Reeds QC imposed a 12 week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, for each of them, and ordered them to pay compensation to the benefits agency.

They were fined £1,000 each, and must carry out 75 hours of unpaid work.