Council prosecutes benefits cheat

A benefit cheat who claimed more than £1000 of allowances has been prosecuted by Rochdale Council.

Scott Cross of Daventry Road, Rochdale, was given an 18 month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £100 by Rochdale Magistrates Court. This will be deducted from his current Job Seeker’s allowance.

Mr Cross had continued claiming Housing and Council tax benefits for an address on Surma Close after his claim for Jobseeker’s allowance was ended.

Rochdale Council’s cabinet member for finance, Councillor Greg Couzens said: “Benefit cheats are not just defrauding the Government, but their own tax paying neighbours and communities. The message to benefit cheats is simple - ‘you will be caught’. Our policy to prosecute any claimant who is blatantly committing fraud will continue.”