Former Shrewsbury man prosecuted for benefit fraud

A former Shrewsbury man has appeared before Shrewsbury Magistrates charged with dishonestly claiming £3,561.90 in housing benefit. 

Andrew Paul Purcell, 52, formerly of Hereford Road, Shrewsbury and now of Meadow Road, Newport, pleaded guilty on Friday 10 June 2011 to a charge of dishonestly failing to notify Shropshire Council of a change in his circumstances.  

The court heard garage mechanic Purcell had legitimately claimed housing and council tax benefit in November 2008 due to a back injury which meant he was unable to work.  Purcell later failed to report his return to work in December 2008, and he continued to receive payments of rent allowance from Shropshire Council for another eight months before the fraud was identified. 

Purcell was given a three-year conditional discharge and was ordered to pay £10 per week compensation for three years. 

The case was investigated by Shropshire Council’s investigation team and the prosecution was brought by Shropshire Council.  

Council Leader, Keith Barrow, who is also Cabinet member for resources and finance, said:

 “Housing benefit and council tax benefit are funded by the taxpayer and Shropshire Council has a duty to protect this money. 

“It is important that we take benefit fraud very seriously, and we won’t hesitate to take legal action against those who try and defraud the benefits system which exists to help those in need.”

Shropshire Council encourages people to contact the Fraud Hotline on 0345 678 9033 or the National Benefit Fraud Hotline on 0800 328 6340, if they have any suspicions about benefit fraud being committed.