Lorry driver claimed £14k despite sale of home
A lorry driver fraudulently claimed more than £14,000 over three years after failing to tell the authorities he had sold a house earning him £50,000, a court heard.
John Worthington began claiming income support, housing benefit and council tax credit when he began caring for his terminally ill father and his alcoholic brother.
But Wolverhampton Crown Court heard on Friday how 59-year-old Worthington of Spring Head, Wednesbury, failed to declare that he had a property in Smethwick he had purchased in 1985.
Miss Emma Rutherford told the court: "In September 2009 he gave details of circumstances and he said that he didn't own any properties.
" He later filled out forms for council tax credit and housing benefit and again said that he had no other properties.
"Inquiries were made by Her Majesty's Land Registry on a property the defendant had acquired in Old Chapel Road, Smethwick. In February 2011 he sold the house for £77,000 and Mr Worthington received in access of £50,000.
"That change of circumstances should been alerted to the local authority and the Department for Working Pensions. Further investigations were carried out and the defendant was interviewed under caution and affectively admitted he offences."
Worthington was questioned about the sale of his home and he revealed that he had cleared the mortgage at the Old Chapel Road property, given his daughter £18,000 and had £15,000 in a saving account.
Miss Rutherford added: "In all he was overpaid £14,568.62."
Miss Kate Thomas, defending Worthington, said her client had got himself in a mess with paperwork.
She said: "Mr Worthington is a hard working man. This wasn't something which was calculated from the outset he had never claimed benefits before and to someone who was unfamiliar with the system it can be confusing.
"He had been a HGV driver for 37 years.
"In 2009 he became aware his father had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Living in the property was his mother and his brother who was disabled and suffered from alcoholism.
"He gave up work to care for his family was advised by social services to claim benefits. Because he didn't own the house in Old Chapel Road and it had a mortgage he didn't think he had to declare it."
Worthington pleaded guilty to three charges of making a false statement to obtain benefits and four charges of failing to notify changes of circumstances.
He was given a 12-month community order and 12 months supervision. He was also ordered to pay the money back which he will do at £200-per-month.
