Two falsely claimed £6,000

TWO men falsely claimed benefit totalling more than £6,000 in separate incidents, magistrates heard at Warrington.
Nigel Brocklehurst, 29, of Grasmere Avenue, Warrington pleaded guilty to deliberately failing to notify the borough council that he had started work.
As a result, he obtained £2,779 housing benefit to which he was not entitled.
Brocklehurst was ordered to pay back the money, pay costs of £250 and was sentenced to carry out 80 hours unpaid work.
Michael Chatterton, 21, of Darnaway Close, Warrington appeared admitted accepting housing benefit payments he was not entitled to, totalling £3,334.
The court was told he had repaid the money and sentenced him to a 12 month conditional discharge and ordered him to pay £250 costs.
After the hearings, Adrian Webster, the council’s benefits manager, said: “All benefit theft is crime. There are no exceptions and that is why the council is determined to bring fraudsters to justice.”