Benefit cheat must repay £92,000
Benefit cheat must repay £92,000
A man who fraudulently claimed more than £92,000 in benefits for his mother in Bangladesh has been told to repay the cash or spend longer in prison.
Mohammed Rashid, of Uplands, Swansea, who is serving an 18-month sentence, said he did not benefit from the money.
But in a proceeds of crime hearing at Swansea Crown Court, the judge said this made no difference in law.
A confiscation order was made for £81,543 because Rashid, 49, had already repaid just over £11,000.
Rashid's barrister, Ali Mohammad Azhar, argued that none of the money should be repaid because his client's mother had benefited and not Rashid himself.
Whether he decided to send it all to his mother or to back horses that are still running today or on Caribbean holidays is irrelevant
Judge Peter Heywood
Judge Peter Heywood said the argument was wrong in law because Rashid had received the money and, as such, was the beneficiary.
The judge said that while what he spent the cash on might have affected the punishment he had received, it could not affect the application before him.
"The law is clear. Whether he decided to send it all to his mother or to back horses that are still running today or on Caribbean holidays is irrelevant," he said.
Rashid had admitted five sample offences of false accounting and obtaining money transfers by deception, and asked for 850 similar offences to be considered.
Rashid had claimed carer's allowance, income support, pension credit, housing benefit and disability living allowance for his mother.
She was registered blind and so the money was sent directly to him.
Sick mother
She had once lived in Swansea but had returned to Bangladesh in 2001, and Rashid continued claiming until 2007.
He flew his sick mother back to Britain in March 2007 so inspectors would think she still lived here. She died later that year.
Carl Harrison, prosecuting on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions, said nothing less than the repayment of the full amount would be acceptable.
Judge Heywood ruled that Rashid's benefit from crime was £92,805, but accepted he had already repaid some of the money.
He made a confiscation order for £81,543 to be paid within 12 months and a prison order for 21 months in default of payment.
Rashid was also ordered to pay £1,000 in prosecution costs.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_west/8391469.stm
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