Jailed benefit cheat had been given £85,000

A BENEFIT cheat was sent to prison for three months after it was discovered he had £85,000 in the bank while claiming money from taxpayers.

Philip Le Gallais, 49, of 8, Sandy Hook, L'Islet, fraudulently received almost £15,000.

He admitted two counts of failing to notify the Social Security Department of a change in personal circumstances and two of making false statements.

Crown Advocate Chris Dunford told the court that Le Gallais had been in receipt of benefits through most of his adult life and had been claiming supplementary benefit since 2003.

The defendant had been in a relationship with Marina Pratt and, on or about 28 November 2008, she gifted him the sum of £84,596.

Le Gallais opened several new accounts to hold the money and he became joint signatory to accounts formerly held solely by Ms Pratt.

Judge Philip Robey said the taxpayer funded supplementary benefit for those in genuine need and anyone seriously defrauding the public purse could expect a prison sentence.

Advocate Clare Tee said her client accepted the seriousness of the offences and maintained that he thought the money would not affect his benefit claim.