Belfast Benefit Fraudster Is Fined Ł1,000

23 March 2005
BELFAST BENEFIT FRAUDSTER IS FINED Ł1,000
Belfast man, Philip Trainor, was recently convicted in Laganside Court for wrongly claiming benefits from the Social Security Agency and was fined Ł1,000.

Mr Trainor (51) of Cliftonville Road, Belfast did not declare savings when claiming benefits and he had dishonestly received more than Ł3,600 over a period of five years.

Mr Trainor had already repaid the money he had falsely obtained and in addition to imposing a Ł1,000 fine, Magistrate Des Perry ordered him to pay Ł22 costs. He was conditionally discharged for 12 months.

At the same court hearing, Gary Jenkins (34) of Glenkeen Drive, Greenisland was also sentenced for claiming benefit when he had substantial savings. Over a period of 13 months he had defrauded the Agency of more than Ł2,600.

In addition to ordering Mr Jenkins to repay the Agency the money he had obtained fraudulently, Magistrate Perry ordered him to pay court costs of Ł25 and he was conditionally discharged for three years.

These are the latest of a series of prosecutions brought by the Agency in its drive to clamp down on benefit fraud.

Click here to print this press release.