Jail for £19k benefit fraud

A fraudster has been jailed for fraudulently claiming more than £19,000 in benefits.

Andrew Butler claimed he was starving when he signed on the dole and began to claim housing and council tax benefits for his home in Cambridge. But he had £82,000 in the bank. People with savings of £16,000 are barred from claiming job seeker's allowance and anyone with £6,000 or more in the bank will have their benefits reduced.

He failed to attend a court hearing on June 19 and was convicted in his absence. He was later arrested and held on remand until he could be sentenced on July 3.

He was jailed for 10 weeks for two charges of benefit fraud. The authorities have also recovered the money that was fraudulently obtained.

Butler was also jailed for two weeks for failing to attend court, which will be served concurrently to his 10-week sentence.