Golfing benefit cheat Robert Cave jailed for fraud
A man who was caught on camera playing golf despite claiming he could not walk more than 50m has been jailed for a £12,500 benefit fraud.
Nottingham Crown Court heard Robert Cave, 50, was filmed playing golf despite telling the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) he was disabled.
The man, of Mansfield, started claiming disability living allowance in 1996 for a genuine degenerative condition.
Cave, jailed for four months, did not reveal that his condition had improved.
Sentencing, Judge Andrew Hamilton said: "You don't get a 15 golf handicap overnight. He must have been playing for a long time.
"You are a thorough and utter liar and cheat.
"This is one of the worst cases of someone who is flagrantly flouting the rules and creating public indignation."
Judge Hamilton added the case was "most unfair" because other people had genuine claims.
Sian Fellowes, senior fraud manager for DWP, said after the hearing: "We received some anonymous information from a member of the public, which is usually the way we find out about cases of this nature.
"He was seen to be engaged in various activities that were very much at odds with what he said his capabilities were in order to claim the benefit.
"He was seen loading things into his car but most compellingly he was seen playing golf."
She said Cave had been seen playing regularly once a week on an 18-hole golf course at Norwood Park, near Southwell.