Man jailed for £34,000 benefit fraud

A failed businessman who turned to benefit fraud to boost his wages has been jailed for 10 months.

Paul Weightman, from Maidenhead, pocketed almost £34,000 over two years while also working for a courier firm after the collapse of his business.

On Tuesday, Reading Crown Court heard how 53-year-old Weightman, of Beech Close, earned about £80,000 working as a self-employed contractor for Fairway Ltd between June 2005 and summer 2007.

At the same time he claimed incapacity benefit totalling £8,634; income support totalling £7,625; housing benefit worth £15,578 and £2,070 in council tax benefit from the Royal Borough.

Weightman admitted four charges of failing to inform the local authority of a change in circumstances.

Sentencing him to his first-ever spell in prison, Mrs Recorder Emma Arbuthnot, said: "This offence is so serious that a community order and fine is not appropriate."