Man falsely claimed £40,000 in benefits after failing to declare a £65,000 house

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A man falsely claimed £40,000 in benefits after failing to declare a £65,000 house

An investigation by his local authority revealed that Christopher Prole owned a house worth £65,000, affecting his entitlement to payments including Housing Benefit. 

Sentencing at Cardiff Crown Court, Judge Jeremy Jenkins said the 52-year-old’s offending had deprived other people “in need”. 

The court heard Prole bought a house on Phillips Street in New Tredegar, Rhymney Valley, in 1998 and lived at a different address with his partner. 

Prosecutor Nicholas Gareth Jones said the defendant applied for Employment and Support Allowance, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction, but did not state he was a homeowner.

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The court heard Prole bought a house on in New Tredegar, but lived at a different address

Prole received an overpayment of £24,446.20 during a three-year period for Employment and Support Allowance – designed for people who are unable to work due to illness or disability.

He apologises profusely for what he has done

Nigel Fryer, defending

In the same period, he received an overpayment of £11,911.24 in Housing Benefit. 

The court heard he also owed £1,160.78 after being given Council Tax Reduction for 18 months. 

Mr Jones said the local authority investigated the matter in July 2015, when the defendant was interviewed at Pontypool Job Centre. 

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He was sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court

He told the officer his property was derelict when he had submitted the forms and did not think it would affect his claim. 

The property, which he developed after buying, was valued during the investigation at £65,000. 

Prole accepted he knew he should have declared the house and his true circumstances. 

The prosecutor said he had a recent caution for theft, but no previous convictions. 

He pleaded guilty at Newport Magistrates’ Court to two counts of fraud. 

Nigel Fryer, defending, said: “He apologises profusely for what he has done.”

The defence barrister said his client stressed the house was “uninhabitable” when he originally bought it for £8,000. 

Mr Fryer argued the defendant had shown remorse through his guilty pleas and was in the process of re-mortgaging the property to pay the money back. 

The judge warned if he did not repay the money, the house would be taken from him under the Proceeds of Crime Act. 

Prole was committed to prison for 14 months, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work.

He must also pay £300 in costs, plus a victim surcharge.