A Swansea man found guilty of a more than £70,000 benefit fraud last year has been sent to prison after he failed to pay up on a Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) Confiscation Order.
Norman Gill, of Langland Court Road in Swansea, had managed a property company and ran a clothes firm on eBay while claiming thousands of pounds worth of benefits he was not entitled to.
In February 2009, because he was the main carer for his sick wife, the court gave Mr Gill a suspended prison sentence. However, the 61 year-old, who lives in a house worth up to £700,000, was ordered to pay £200,000 within a year or face jail.
In the subsequent 12 months, Mr Gill only paid around £34,000 leaving around £166,000 to be paid. As a result, on March 1, the matter was referred to Swansea Magistrates Court for a POCA enforcement hearing.
Mr Gill’s solicitor asked that the committal warrant should be postponed for a further year to allow time for the sale of his Langland Court Road home.
But after considering this and a counter submission from lawyers acting for the Department for Work and Pensions and Swansea Council, the District Judge executed the committal warrant for 608 days, which was the amount of time calculated by the Court’s enforcement unit.
Gill was therefore taken straight to prison and will still have to pay the £166,000.
Tal Davies, Investigations Manager for Swansea Council, said: “Mr Gill had been caught through a detailed and dedicated joint investigation.
“This led in February 2009 to Gill pleading guilty to eight charges under the Theft Act 1968, two of which were in relation to Council Tax benefit and the others relating to income support.
“What Gill did was not a victimless crime. He was stealing from all those people who pay their Council Tax to help provide important public services. It was an affront to those who can’t afford the lifestyle to which he’d become accustomed thanks in part to his theft.”
Kevin McGrath, DWP Area Fraud Manager for Wales, said: “Benefit fraud is a crime and when we catch cheats like Mr Gill they must pay the money back. Benefit thieves should be aware that we’re closing in on them and that they will not be allowed to get away with it.”
