A housing benefit cheat, who paid the mortgage on the family home he inherited from his parents with over £67,000 he swindled during a seven-year scam, was jailed for ten months on Wednesday.
Father-of-two Jason White, 37, of Roslyn Road, Tottenham, North London claimed he was under pressure to split the house’s equity amongst his siblings – leaving him with a property (pictured) he could not afford.
The first-time offender pleaded guilty at Wood Green Crown Court to four counts under the Social Security Administration Act.
“For a large number of years you were living a dishonest life, living in a house you could not afford,” Judge Peter Ader told the trainee electrician.
“You were only making ends meet by stealing money from the public.”
Prosecutor Mr. Archie Maddan told the court White received £67,251.65 between October 2003 and October last year.
Ironically the London Borough of Haringey only became aware of the fraud two months after White ended his claim, which also included council tax benefit.
“The whole claim was fraudulent and should not have been made,” Mr. Maddan told the court. “It was a deliberately contrived fraud over a considerable period of time.”
White has repaid £1200 and the council will pursue the balance through the civil courts.
The defendant remained living in the family home following the death of his cancer-victim parents and looked after his younger sister until she moved out.
He also has eleven year-old twin sons.
“You were the part-owner of your own home that you inherited from your parents and had equity in the property,” Judge Ader told White. “You could not afford to live there and devised this scheme to pay the mortgage for seven years.
“Every time you received benefits you were reminded of the fact you were committing fraud.”
White was also ordered to pay £1500 costs.
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