A FULHAM man who fraudulently claimed almost £7,000 in benefits over a nine year period has been given a six month community order.
Archel Road resident, John Dalton, 32, was entitled to receive housing and council tax benefits after he declared to Hammersmith and Fulham council that he didn't have a bank account and his only income was from Job Seekers Allowance.
However an investigation by the anti-fraud service revealed that Dalton was a full time student and had been receiving loans and grants from at least 2002, which he had not declared.
After failing to attend a number of interviews he was brought before West London Magistrates in July where he admitted to his offences. When he returned to the court on Thursday, September 29, Dalton was given a six month community order, told to pay back all the money and ordered to pay costs of £575.
Cabinet member for residents' services, councillor Greg Smith, said: "The council carefully scrutinises how every penny of tax-payers money is spent and will continue to clamp down hard on those who think that fraud is acceptable."
