A man who fraudulently claimed more than £10,000 in benefits has been successfully prosecuted by Cheshire East Council and ordered to repay the money.
Michael Podmore, 48, claimed housing benefit, council tax benefit and jobseekers’ allowance totalling £11,753.51 as a single person between December 2009 and December 2012, when in fact his partner was living with him.
His partner had several jobs during this period – including one for Cheshire East Council. However, Podmore failed to declare this to both the Council and the Department for Work and Pensions.
Mr Podmore, 48, of Egerton House, Longridge, Knutsford, pleaded guilty to all the charges when he appeared at Macclesfield Magistrates’ Court (on April 12).
He was sentenced to a 12-month community order and ordered to carry out 250 hours’ unpaid work. The Council was awarded £650 costs and a compensation order was granted for the overpayment to be repaid at £185 per month.
Councillor Peter Raynes, Cheshire East Council Cabinet member in charge of finance, said: “This prosecution should send out a clear message: that Cheshire East Council will not tolerate benefit fraud taking money from hardworking taxpayers.
“The benefit system is there to help those who need it most. Abuse of this system can not be tolerated.”
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