Light sentence for Deddington benefit fraud

Oliver Robinson was working as a tyre and exhaust fitter between April 30 and August 12 2007 when he made claims totalling almost £800.

At Banbury Magistrates' Court he pleaded guilty to fraudulently claiming £607 of housing benefit and £178 of council tax.

He was given a two-year conditional discharge and ordered to pay £100 court costs. He must also pay back the money he stole from the taxpayer.

Cherwell District Council portfolio holder for communications and public relations, Cllr Kieron Mallon, said:

The residents of Cherwell are increasingly becoming fed up with people who claim more than they are entitled to and drain public money.

"They see the hotline as a free and easy way to report people fiddling the benefits system and stealing their money.

• They will not be encouraged by meaningless sentences like this. People convicted of benefit fraud who don't receive a custodial sentence should have to do unpaid work.
  
  Benefit thieves should also have to repay twice what they've stolen, and should not be eligible for any further benefits – including tax credits - until they have.
  
  If you don't punish people who are convicted of an easy crime, the offence will continue to look attractive.