Bouncer jailed for £34k benefit fraud
BOUNCER Anthony Edwards has been jailed after claiming £34,793.58 in benefits, when he was working outside nightclubs.
Edwards fraudulently claimed income support, incapacity benefit, and housing and council tax benefit after quitting JCB with a bad back.
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Anthony Edwards
But the 41-year-old was still claiming while he worked as a bouncer for Sovereign Security and Platinum Security between 2003 and last year.
Edwards had been caught at Keele University's students' union bar as part of a police and Government crackdown on bouncers who are working illegally in North Staffordshire's bars and clubs.
He was jailed for 12 months despite a plea that his wife would have to give up work to look after their two children if he went to prison.
Judge Paul Glenn told Edwards: "I feel very sorry for your wife, as she is going to have to bear the brunt of your sentence, and you have two dependent children.
"You knew what you were doing, and you were prepared to take the risk of being caught.
"It seems your regret is for being caught, and not for defrauding the taxpayer."
Edwards, pictured, of Marlow Road, Sandford Hill, Stoke-on-Trent, admitted failing to notify a change in circumstance in relation to income support, incapacity benefit, housing benefit and council tax benefit, and making a false representation to obtain benefits.
Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard Edwards may have been entitled to some benefits over those five years, but he had been paid in cash so it was impossible to tell.
Stuart Muldoon, mitigating, told the court that the claims had not been made to fund any lavish lifestyle. After the case, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) revealed that Edwards was one of 12 people arrested on suspicion of benefit fraud in March 2008.
DWP fraud investigator Chris Hare said: "Fraudsters face heavy penalties and a criminal record.
"They will have to pay back the money they have stolen. It really isn't worth the risk."
Inspector Shaun Kerrigan, commander of the City Centre Neighbourhood Policing Unit (NPU), said: "Benefit thieves must realise they will not get away with it.
"We worked with the DWP on the operation which resulted in the arrest of Edwards.
"Offenders who commit this type of crime will get caught."
Other benefit fraud cases:
Divorcee jailed for hiding settlement
Mum claimed benefit for 15 fake children
27 Comments
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by Warren, Meir
Tuesday, July 14 2009, 9:08AM
“Worker.... when he went to the doctors, he much have took a walkingstick with him. The problem is the doctor would have to had belive him, back pain is hard to disprove and this git would have known that. I have never clamed anything like this just like you, even after an heart attack, back to work in 6 week, open heart surgary, back to work in 3 mouths, my workplace helped me and payed me a wage all the time I was off. Meny called my silly, but I surport myself, but even thought I only work part time at the moment as I wate for a follow up opp I fell better for it then sponging off the state.
(This comment has been edited because parts of it were considered offensive - moderator)”
by Worker, Stoke
Sunday, July 12 2009, 1:05PM
“I have never claimed benefits and so know absolutely nothing about how the system works. Could someone please tell me how a man can claim for having a bad back without proving it with a report from a doctor?
If this man has not got a bad back then why did a doctor say that he has?”
by Voter, Staffordshire Moorlands
Friday, July 10 2009, 3:32PM
“To haydens dad,
You said "what the MP's did wasn't breaking the law though, thats what everyone seems to forget"
YOU seem to be forgetting that they made the laws!
Just because MPs expenses claims were within the law doesn't make their greed right!”
by Warren, Meir
Friday, July 10 2009, 8:07AM
“Stops work becouse he's got a bad back, clames a truck load of cash off the state, but his backs not paining him that much as to stops him kicking peoples heads in as a door thug..... sorry.... bouncer in the clubs, what a git... he sould do his time, pay the cash back and then be told no more hand outs for you, work or do without. Whats all this 'not made to fund a lavish lifestyle' old nonsence, clames were made for money he was not entiteled to, end of.”
by T.COPE, Tunstall
Thursday, July 09 2009, 3:51PM
“This comment has been deleted. Moderator.”
by Pippa, Packmoor
Thursday, July 09 2009, 3:45PM
“Hello......Where has this Judge been, the law should apply to everyone who defraud the tax payer, when are all the MPs appearing in court to be sentanced.”
by Jude, Hanley
Thursday, July 09 2009, 3:15PM
“Alex from Maybank has hit the nail on the head for me his comments always make so much sense.”
by Amanda, Stoke on Trent
Thursday, July 09 2009, 3:14PM
“I'd like to know how he managed to claim Income Support, Incapacity Benefit, Housing and Council Tax Benefit. My partner suffered multiple injuries including a major brain injury in a car accident and barely gets any help. He has had the majority of his benefits stopped as no one understands his disabilities. Basically legitimate people are made to suffer because of the likes of him.”
by Alex, Maybank
Thursday, July 09 2009, 2:27PM
“This whole system is corrupt. Mps, Police all taking hard earned tax payers money. If you cant trust a copper who can you trust. The lunatics are running the asylum. It really gets my goat. "There needs to be a stop put to this now all the dead wood needs removing" (09/07/2009 J.Costello).
Thanks for reading”
by Rustinho, Silverdale
Thursday, July 09 2009, 1:58PM
“As an aside, does anyone know how he ended up working at Keele University? Has action been taken against the people responsible there at the students union for allowing someone to work illegally?
And it does seem slightly out of proportion when someone gets sent to prison for benefit fraud instead of making those responisble work to pay the money back when convictions for violent offences seem to be treated far more leniantly.”