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Calderdale benefit cheat must pay back £200,000
A 74-year-old benefit cheat has been forced to pay back nearly £200,000 after 11 years of fraudulent claims.
Brian Sutcliffe, of Beaumont, Thistlebottom, Charlestown, Hebden Bridge, has been ordered to pay back 171,717.83 to the Department for Work and Pensions after receiving almost 150,000 in income support and tax rebates he was not entitled to.
Bradford Crown Court also told him to pay 16,426.76 compensation to Calderdale Council and 5,000 in legal costs.
Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC warned Sutcliffe, who was jailed for three years earlier this year, that he must cough up within 12 months or face a further two years in prison.
The court heard that Sutcliffe, who admitted false accounting, making a false statement and keeping a wrongful credit, was at risk of having to pay 1 million back and face losing his house, now valued at 450,000.
Craig Hassall, prosecuting, explained that the Department wanted to claim an extra 862,407.97 because Sutcliffe had remortgaged his house and used the money to set up a business, R and N Demolitions.
However, Judge Durham Hall decided that it would be "unfair" to make the order because the remortgage occurred in 1991, four years before the false claims began.
Sutcliffe used taxpayer's money to fund a luxury lifestyle by buying a timeshare apartment in Tenerife and holidaying in France.
He also has 20,000 worth of Premium Bonds.
In 1995 Sutcliffe was freed from prison after serving time for theft and possessing illegal tobacco.
But he continued to claim benefits his wife received while he was inside and then added to the income by also claiming in his own name.
During the period Sutcliffe claimed a total of 145,599.77 - about 17,000 a year.
Judge Durham Hall concluded: "This offence would have been committed whatever the background circumstances out of greed and dishonesty."
Similar charges were dropped against his wife, Judith, because she suffered a brain haemorrhage in March 1995 and allowed her husband to take over the family finances.
DCI Steve Waite of the North East Regional Asset Recovery Team said: "In this case, the benefits fraudulently claimed from the Department for Work and Pensions and Calderdale Council amounted to approximately 145,000 but the confiscation order has been made for 188,144.59.
"This figure originates from the court recognising that the defendant benefited beyond the original criminal activity.
"Those who choose to defraud the community can expect to pay back every stolen penny.
"The RART team includes enforcement officers who will now ensure that the court confiscation is paid back in a timely manner."
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