A former top military scientist working for the Russian goverment now living in the Black Country has been spared jail after fiddling nearly £35,000 in benefits.

Yuri Podgurskiy, aged 45, was a central figure in the development of a weapon he found was being used against civilians, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.

He “took exception” to the situation, said Mr Christopher O’Gorman, defending, fell foul of the Russian goverment and decided to flee to the United Kingdom and now lives in St Johns Street, Netherton.

Podgurskiy admitted two charges of benefit fraud and was given a 40-week jail term suspended for two years and ordered to carry out 150 hours community punishment.

Judge Nicholas Webb told the court: “You (Podgurskiy) are an unusual person to be in this court. I accept you are a very highly qualified engineer.

“I accept you have done important work in weapons development as a result of which you became disenchanted and you secretly left Russia with your family.”

The Judge added, “I think in your particular case, with your qualifications and abilities and, taking into account the pressures to which you must have succumbed, I can just about suspend the prison sentence.”