Nowhere to go for benefit cheat with £90k in the bank

A Leeds man who claimed over £20,000 in benefits whilst having up to £90,000 in his bank account has been tagged by Leeds Magistrates court yesterday.

Mr James Boyce, 60, of The Crescent Tingley, was given a four month curfew order at a hearing at Leeds Magistrates Court yesterday (Tuesday 17 January), after pleading guilty to illegally claiming £17,500 in housing benefit and £5,000 in council tax benefit, between 2003 and 2011.

The curfew order will mean that Boyce is restricted to his home address between 7pm and 7am every day for four months.

Boyce pleaded guilty after admitting failing to declare that he received a large lump sum from a property sale, as well as money from a private pension.

In passing the sentence the magistrates’ commented that Boyce had committed a serious offence, which could have resulted in a custodial sentence. But they acknowledged that Boyce had submitted an early guilty plea, and had already repaid all the money he had illegally claimed, so the sentence would be reduced to a four month curfew order.

Steve Carey, chief revenues and benefits officer for Leeds City Council said:
“Claiming benefits that you are not entitled to is stealing, and is taking money away from people who really need it. We will not hesitate to prosecute people who abuse the benefits system.”

ENDS
For media enquiries, please contact:
Emma Whittell, Leeds City Council press office, on (0113) 2474713
Email: emma.whittell@leeds.gov.uk