Maidenhead benefit cheat ordered to pay compensation and carry out community work

A Maidenhead man has been ordered to pay back over £10,000 in compensation and carry out 160 hours of unpaid community work after claiming more than £13,000 in benefits as a single person while living with a partner.

When Robert Kenny, 43, of Deansfield Close, Maidenhead, appeared at East Berkshire Magistrates' Court Maidenhead on 11 November he pleaded guilty to three offences of failing to give prompt notification of a change affecting entitlement.

The offences, under Section 112 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992, resulted in overpayments of £6,798.80 in income support, £5,713.38 in housing benefit and £1,077.89 in council tax benefit from 11 April 2010 to 25 July 2011, a total of £13,590.07.

At Reading Magistrates' Court on Wednesday 4 January Mr Kenny was sentenced to 160 hours community payback to be completed within 12 months. He was also ordered to pay £10,784.87 through a compensation order direct to the courts. The remaining balance will be paid to the Royal Borough.

The case arose as a result of an anonymous referral on the Beat the Cheat hotline.

Cllr Richard Kellaway, cabinet member for finance, said: "Our benefit fraud team is dedicated to recovering the money fraudulently obtained by a dishonest few and will pursue it to the courts if needs be.

"I would strongly advise anyone who has received overpayments to contact us as soon as possible so that the issue can be resolved."

The council's confidential and free Beat the Cheat line for reporting suspected benefit fraud incidents is on 0500 353300.

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