Thomas Clancey even got married while overseas and Sybil Lloyd, from Llanelli, would fill in his forms and send them to him to sign.
Mr Clancey got away with a 12-month community order, while his mother was merely fined £750. Both have to pay £75 costs, and Ms Lloyd must also pay a £15 victims' surcharge!
Mr Clancey moved to Thailand in August 2005 and did not return until February 2007.
Whilst overseas he received severe disability allowance, housing benefit, council tax and income support. The money was paid to his mother, who would then transfer sums to his bank account in Thailand.
Mr Clancey initially denied doing anything wrong and said that "many people from the UK living in Thailand were also claiming benefits". During interview his mother answered "no comment" to all allegations put to her.
Yet in mitigation Simon Howell said both had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity. He said all the money had been paid back "at a very early stage in the investigation".
He said that when Clancey initially started claiming benefits they were genuine. He had suffered mental health and drug problems following the death of his brother which meant he could not work, said Mr Howells.
He didn't suffer drug problems, he took drugs. And the sentences are ridiculously light.
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