On Wednesday 14 May at Huntingdon Magistrates Court three people were prosecuted for benefit fraud. 

Wayne Smith (43) of Ennerdale Close, Huntingdon pleaded guilty to one charge of fraud.  The court heard that Smith had claimed housing and council tax benefit from Huntingdonshire District Council in June 2007when he became unemployed but failed to report to the council that he had signed off Job Seekers Allowance later the same month.

Smith who was overpaid £1,968.33 housing benefit and council tax benefit between June and October 2007 has made arrangements to pay this sum back to the council.  The court heard he was of previous good character and he received a 12-month conditional discharge and was ordered to pay £50 to the council towards the cost of the prosecution.

Farouk Miah (43) of Shakespeare Road, St Ives pleaded guilty to three charges of making false claims for council tax benefit in May 2004, February 2005 and August 2006.  On each claim he said that his only source of income, other than state benefits, was his wage of £99 per week for working as a chef in Aylsham.

The court was told that an investigation began in late 2006 when the authorities became suspicious of the level of earning Mr Miah was declaring. The investigation revealed that Miah had undisclosed income which he was paying into a number of bank accounts. Between 2003 and 2006 Miah had paid just over £48,000 from unknown sources into one account.  Miah was also found to own a property with a number of other people which they had been planning to open as a restaurant.  Miah was found to have been overpaid £2,045.61 council tax benefit between 2004 and 2007.

Samantha Jewell, for Miah, said that her client was of previous good character and that he had admitted to the council that he had income and bank accounts he had not declared.  She said that the embarrassment of the prosecution had forced him to resign from the local mosque where he had been a trustee and a hard working member of the local community. She also said that he had repaid the whole sum as soon as he was made aware of the amounts due to the council.

 Miah was ordered to pay a £500 fine and £500 costs to the council.

Alexandra Moore (29) of Mill Lane, Ramsey pleaded guilty one charge of benefit fraud between February and July 2006 when she failed to report to the council that her partner had set up a business that he was operating form their address.  Moore was overpaid £1,947.75 housing benefit.

The court heard that an investigation into claims for housing benefit made by them in 2006 had revealed that a business had been set up and was being advertised locally and on the internet from their address. Phone numbers used for the business were recorded as being in the pair’s names as well as payments made into bank accounts held by them.

Moore was given a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £30 towards prosecution costs.

In a further matter, Colin Bish (42) of Goldfinch Close, Godmanchester, pleaded guilty to nine charges of fraud between 1998 and 2006.  His case was adjourned to 25 June for pre-sentence reports as the level of benefits overpaid totalled £7,283.01.

If you know someone who is claiming benefit when they are not entitled to it you can contact the Fraud Investigation Team on 01480 388480 or call the 24 hour  confidential Fraud Hot Line on 01480 388188. You can also report fraud by e-mail to the Fraud Team by using the link on the right or by visiting the council's website.

When calling please leave as much information as possible to ensure that the council is aware of the full facts before an investigation commences.  All calls received will be dealt with and treated in the strictest confidence.