Julian Rogers, 54, of Le Grand Bouet, St Peter Port, admitted two offences of making false statements to the Committee for Employment & Social Security when he appeared in the Magistrate’s Court where he was jailed for a total of five months.
The court heard how Rogers had started claiming income support in June 2019 when he began cohabiting with his partner and children.
It was made clear to him at the time that he must report any additional income he had to the authority.
Acting on information, in late 2023 he was asked by a ESS benefit fraud investigator if he was a director of a UK company – Hustlers Pool Hall. He said he had bought the business for £45,000 in 2016 but had since gifted it to his parents and he had received no income from it during the period of his claim.
Further investigation revealed regular withdrawals had been made in his name to a total amount of £90,127.31. He also failed to declare that in January 2020 he had received £788.18 from a local employer after his contract was terminated.
He had no previous convictions.
Advocate Amy Davies said her client had fallen in to financial difficulty after losing his job and had used his credit card to meet family needs and on treats for the children. The failure to declare the £788.18 had been an oversight and he was extremely remorseful.
Judge Gary Perry said this was one of the highest amounts to come before the court for this type of offence and only a sentence of immediate custody would be justified. The defendant had benefitted from more than £90,000 over a four-year period. Theft from the public purse was always treated seriously, he added.
Sentences of three-and-a-half months, and one-and-a-half months in prison were imposed respectively, and consecutively, for each offence.
