text: A benefits cheat who claimed he could barely walk while starring for his pub football team has avoided jail. Raymond Billam illegally pocketed £15,000 of taxpayers' money after he said he was severely disabled due to back and knee problems. But fraud investigators secretly filmed the 40-year-old midfielder taking to the pitch for a Sunday League team after being tipped-off about his fraudulent claims. The grandfather-of-four admitted benefit fraud and was sentenced to 26-weeks in prison suspended for two years. Cheat: Raymond Billam, 40, claimed he was unable to walk more than a few metres, but was filmed running and jumping as he took to the pitch for his pub football team . Shaven headed Billam claimed he was unable to walk more than 20 metres without falling and needed crutches to get around. But between September 2008 and April 2014 he pulled on the green and black shirt of Ingsfield Lane football club and two other teams in the Mexborough and District Sunday League. In total Billam of Bolton-on-Dearne, South Yorkshire, played over 87 games while dishonestly claiming incapacity benefit, Barnsley Magistrates Court was told. Julie Grant, prosecuting, said: 'Over three consecutive Sundays he was playing football, running, jumping and participating fully showing no signs of discomfort.' His appearances and goals were even posted on the internet, magistrates' heard. 'Clearly this is not consistent with somebody unable to walk without aids,' the prosecutor added. When Billam was arrested he said he had 'good days and bad days' and he was so well-known in the league that others could have been playing under his name. But he could not provide investigators with a list of names. Billam admitted defrauding the Department of Work and Pensions by pocketing £15,066 through dishonestly failing to notify a change in circumstances which affected his disability living allowance. Chris Peace, defending, said Billam, who has four grandchildren, had worked as a contractor for Yorkshire Water for 16 years until he suffered a serious back injury in 2006 which needed surgery. He initially  made a legitimate claim and went from 13 to 18 and a half stones and had problems with drinking and gambling. 'He was in a bit of a state,' said Mr Peace. The court heard that playing football helped Billam recover from the the low point in his life. Billam had claimed more than £15,000 in incapacity benefit when the Department of Work and Pensions were tipped off . Unknown to the grandfather-of-four he was secretly filmed by fraud investigators donning his green and black shirt . Billam was sentenced to a 26-week suspended prison sentence after he admitted benefit fraud . Billam, who was taking jobs as a self employed plumber by October 2013, accepted that he should have notified the Department of Work and Pensions earlier that he was fit to work. 'The allowance was a regular source of income and he had three children at home and it was very difficult to do without that,' his lawyer said. 'It was difficult to wave goodbye to that when you have lots of bills.' The court heard Billam was repaying the money and the whole amount outstanding would be paid off. Billam was given a 26-week jail term suspended for two years, ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and he will be subject to an electronically monitored daily curfew for four months. A spokesman for the Department of Work and Pensions said: 'Billam was very brazen about what he was doing. 'It's hard to believe someone can think they are entitled to incapacity benefits because they claim they can't walk far without assistance. 'Yet we observed him on three consecutive Sundays, running around, jumping and heading the ball and putting in some strong tackles.'
target: Raymond Billam defrauded the Department of Work and Pensions .
  40-year-old claimed he had severe problems with his knees and back .
  Secretly filmed running and jumping as he played football for his pub team .
  Given a suspended prison sentence and ordered to complete unpaid work .