Benefit Cheat Was Secretly Hoarding Cash

A benefit cheat, who secretly hoarded thousands of pounds while continuing to borrow from sympathetic family and friends, was told today: "Taxpayers are not there to pay for your nest egg."

Jobless Mark Evans, 54, was sentenced at Inner London Crown Court by Recorder Kaly Kaur QC who told him: "You are the sort of person who lied to your family and friends when you probably had more money then they had.

"That is not an appealing feature of your character."

Evans, of Mabel Court, Lingfield Crescent, Eltham swindled a total of £36,894 from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) in income support payments and housing and council tax benefit from Bexleyheath council.

He pleaded guilty to dishonestly failing to notify a change of circumstances to the DWP between January 1, 2007 and June 22, last year, namely savings of up to £28,000.

He also admitted two counts of dishonestly making false statements to the local authority in January, 2010 and July, last year, namely failing to declare excess capital.

"Because his family and friends are now aware they helped him with money over the years while he had these savings they have turned their backs on him," said Evans's lawyer Miss Rebecca Foulkes.

"For a man that had a great deal of social interaction that has hit him very hard."

Prosecutor Mr. Ross Cifonelli told the court Evans was not entitled to the benefits, which began in May, 1998, once his savings exceeded £16,000.

"He said he accumulated the money through savings, which I would approach with a certain degree of scepticism.

"It would be a very successful investment consultant who was able to achieve those assets."

Investigators discovered Evans had an ISA and transferred his savings to a Credit Suisse account.

"He says he has given away much of this money that he had been given over time and was too ill to spend any of the money," added Mr. Cifonelli.

"It was just sitting there, with interest accumulating. There is no evidence of an extravagant lifestyle."

The court heard Evans, who is currently receiving jobseekers allowance, housing benefit and council tax benefit, has £20 deducted weekly to compensate the taxpayer.

"Greed can take a number of forms and there is greed that arises out of concerns for the future," said Miss Foulkes. "He had been unable to work for some time and will probably never work ever again.

"He began saving or his future and for his children's future and it became a compulsion to save for that safety net.

"The confiscation proceedings are going to hit Mr. Evans very hard, but that money will have to be paid back."

In the last nine months £700 has been paid to Bexleyheath council.

"The deductions will be made for as long as his life probably," announced Recorder Kaur. "He was borrowing money from his family when he didn't really need it very much, which is not very attractive, but that is a matter between them and him."

Sentencing Evans to fourteen weeks imprisonment, suspended for two years, the recorder told him: "For five years you persistently claimed benefits you were not entitled to.

"The wish to have a nest egg, savings for the future, is one you are not entitled to when you are claiming benefits.

"Taxpayers are not there to pay for your nest egg."