Benefit cheat: OAP claimed £37k while secretly working a paper-round
SWNS Roy Taylor, 71, had received benefits for years on the basis that he was medically unfit to work
Roy Taylor, 71, had received benefits for years on the basis that he was medically unfit to work. But he was videoed doing an early morning paper round by Department of Work and Pensions investigators, following a tip-off. He was convicted of dishonestly claiming pension credits and disability benefits and was hit with a confiscation order to hand back the money.
SWNS Taylor was given a £37,201.79 confiscation order, to claw back the money he was overpaid
He told London's Appeal Court he will have to sell off his half-share in a house in Weston-super-Mare in Somerset to pay off the debt. The court heard he had been earning £35 a week delivering papers, despite being a long-term benefit claimant. He pleaded guilty to making a dishonest representation to obtain benefits and failing to notify a change of circumstances at Bristol Crown Court. Taylor was handed a seven-month suspended sentence in May 2013. Later the same year, however, he was hit with a £37,201.79 confiscation order, to claw back the money he was overpaid.
SWNS Taylor claims he will have to sell his house in order to pay off his debt
Lord Justice Hamblen, at the Criminal Appeal Court, heard his bid to get that order overturned. The court heard Taylor will have to sell the house he jointly owns with his wife in Summerlands Road, Weston, in order to pay off his debt. Taylor had claimed his mother-in-law put up the bulk of the money to buy the house - and denied owning half of it.
SWNS An application for permission to appeal against his convictions was refused