Gastropub Boss Accused Of £30K Benefits Fraud

The boss of a landmark Devonshire gastropub lived a double life in which he stole and defrauded over £30,000 from a London borough - falsely claiming benefits on a council flat he treated as a "pied-à-terre" - a jury were told yesterday.

Stephen John Sussams, 59, ex-owner of the Royal Dart, The Square, Kingswear, Dartmouth - located in the heart of the local yachting community - kept his business a secret from the London Borough of Croydon who paid his rent and council tax.

"This defendant was living in Devon as the landlord of that pub, he was not living in Croydon," prosecutor Miss Nancy Udom told the jury. "The flat he was claiming housing and council tax benefit on in Marston Way, Upper Norwood was a pied-à-terre in the south-east for Mr. Sussams."

Croydon Crown Court was told Sussams continued withdrawing a total of £17,600 in carer's allowance payments the council paid to a deceased man he had looked after and claimed another £14,625 in housing and council tax benefit after inheriting the tenancy.

"He had a responsibility to tell the council he was linked to a business in Devon ," added Miss Udom. "This was dishonesty, this was fraudulent.

"He knew that if he told the truth the payments would stop and he chose to be dishonest rather than lose the flat in Croydon."

The jury were told Sussams was the primary carer for Keith Dickinson, the tenant of the one-bedroom flat in Marston Way, Upper Norwood.

When he died on August 28, 2008 the direct carer's payment continued being made into his bank account.

"Mr Sussams, as the primary carer, had access to this bank account and would have been aware that very large sums were coming into the bank account.

"This defendant made large withdrawals from the account, some coincided with the payments going in or within a couple of days," explained Miss Udom.

The court heard Sussams withdrew £3,500 just three days after a direct payment went in and on another occasion withdrew funds on the same day the account was credited.

"This was simply stealing. That money should have been left where it was or returned to the council, not withdrawn by Mr. Sussams."

Croydon council invoiced Sussams for the overpayment, but he simply told them all the money had been dispersed in accordance with Mr. Dickinson's will.

Sussams, who was in receipt of incapacity benefit, successfully claimed housing and council tax benefit as a sole occupier, but deliberately failed to tell the council he was sharing the property with his civil partner Evengy Vasin, the jury were told.

"He did not declare his true personal circumstances and failed to declare that he was living with his partner, Mr. Vasin, his civil partner," said Miss Udom. "In fact he went further and told outright lies and claimed he was the sole occupier."

The couple had a civil ceremony on August 8, 2006.

Sussams has pleaded not guilty to stealing £17,600 from the London Borough of Croydon between August 28, 2008 and January 13, 2009.

He also denies dishonestly making a false statement on or about September 19, 2008 in relation to a housing and council tax benefit claim by failing to declare he was living with his civil partner Evengy Vasin.

He further denies fraud between June 1, 2009 and March 31, this year by dishonestly failing to disclose to Croydon he was the company director of Jireh Investments and Assets and similarly that he was the company director of Kingwear Inns between October 29, 2010 and March 31, this year and Kingswear Inns (Assets) between December 2, 2010 and March 31, this year. 

Trial continues………