Benefits cheat spared prison.A FRAIL frail 1 adj. frail·er, frail·est 1. Physically weak; delicate: an invalid's frail body. 2. man who falsely claimed more than pounds 30,000 in benefits has been spared prison. Thomas Gallagher began receiving invalidity and incapacity benefit This is a United Kingdom state benefit intended for those below the State Pension age who cannot work because of illness or disability. The benefit is administered by Jobcentre Plus (an executive agency of the Department for Work and Pensions). in 1989, but when his wife started work as a school catering assistant, he failed to tell the authorities. Liverpool Crown Court heard Gallagher, 59, who has serious health problems, fraudulently claimed pounds 30,259 over the next six years. Gallagher, of Little Moss Hey, Liverpool, admitted four counts of false accounting, but was spared jail after the court heard he had been struggling with debt problems and ill health. Stuart Mills, defending, said the family lived an "extremely modest" lifestyle, with Mrs Gallagher only bringing home about pounds 4,000 a year. Judge Adrian Lyon told Gallagher he deserved to be jailed, but after learning of his health problems and efforts to pay back the money he spared him prison. He sentenced Gallagher to a 12 month community rehabilitation rehabilitation: see physical therapy. order. |
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