Retired postie admits dishonestly claiming 10k in benefits

[RobertT]

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A 72-YEAR-OLD retired postman who dishonestly claimed benefits totalling more than £10,000 while working in a pub could face a prison term.

Jeffery Bate, who has no previous convictions, had failed to let the authorities know he had a job washing up in the Golden Lion at Padstow, Bodmin Magistrates' Court was told.

His solicitor, John Evans, said: "Mr Bate has worked for years, without blame, doing a trusted job.

"He didn't find it easy surviving on his Royal Mail pension and the pub money made life easier.

"He thought he could get away with it."

When he appeared before District Judge Kevin Gray at the court on Thursday, Bate, of Trelawney Road, Padstow, pleaded guilty to four offences

He admitted dishonestly failing to promptly notify Cornwall Council and the Department for Work and Pensions that he was working, which affected entitlement to housing and council tax benefit between July 16, 2007, and October 15, 2012, and pension credit between June 15, 2006 and October 14, 2012. He also admitted that on August 10, 2009, and July 14, 2007, at Padstow, he dishonestly made a false statement to DWP on a pension credit review form by not stating he was working.

Alison May, for the prosecution, said that Bate had said he had no income apart from his pension when in fact he had a job at the pub from June 2006 until October 2012. Overpayments of £10,277.17 were made to him as a result.

Mr Evans said that Bate had no previous convictions and his initial claim for benefits, following his retirement in 2004, had been genuine. But in 2006 he began working a few hours washing dishes and did not declare it. "Sadly this continued over a lengthy time and he now owes £10,000," said Mr Evans, who said that each authority was taking steps to recover the money from Bate.

The case was adjourned until April 20 for a pre-sentence report and Bate was warned that all sentencing options were left open including custody. He was bailed without conditions.