Benefit cheat found out (From News Shopper)

Benefit cheat found out

10:06am Tuesday 11th March 2008 in

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A BENEFIT cheat has been ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid work after failing to declare his wife's savings of £85,000.

Nilesh Patel, from Greenwich, claimed incapacity benefit, Income Support, housing benefit and council tax benefit as he was unable to work due to osteoarthritis, Woolwich Crown Court was told on March 5.

But the 51-year-old, who conned the benefits system out of £17,478, did not mention at one point while he was claiming his wife had £85,258 in a building society account.

Patel, of Armitage Road, was not entitled to claim income-based benefits if he or his wife had £8,000 or more.

He admitted one charge of failing to declare between February 12, 2002, and May 2, 2005, his wife had a bank account.

Patel was told he would face nine months in prison suspended for two years if he failed to carry out the community penalty.

He was ordered to pay costs of £300, as well as £700 to Greenwich Council.