Benefits cheat ref gets red card
A Wigan man caught refereeing football matches while claiming thousands of pounds in benefits for crippling back pain has been penalised.
Magistrates blew the whistle on Stephen Southern, 49, after he admitted claiming more than 11,500 in disability living allowance over a five-year period, despite a marked improvement in his condition.
In a dramatic courtroom scene, the case even had to be stood down for 20 minutes after the defendant's wife collapsed to the floor from her chair as she watched on nervously.
Prosecutor Katie Houghton told how Southern began claiming high-level benefits in 1999 when he revealed that severe back pain had rendered him unable to walk.
In his original statement, he claimed it took him two minutes to walk 25 metres and said he needed the use of a walking stick and suffered from dizzy spells and chest pains.
Click the green play icon above to see video of Stephen refereeing ...
Southern also said he struggled getting out of bed in the morning, struggled getting up from chairs and had difficulty dressing himself.
But the court heard he failed to notify the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) – between May 2004 and June 2009 – how a spinal block operation had considerably improved his mobility.
Earlier this year, DWP investigators discovered that, not only had Southern's condition improved, but also that he had registered as a referee in the Wigan and District and South Lancs football leagues.
In a surveillance exercise carried out in April, investigators spotted the defendant acting as a linesman for a local football match.
He was seen jogging, sprinting, twisting and turning for a full 90 minutes without any discomfort.
When interviewed under caution, Southern made a full and frank admission and apologised for committing the offence.
He indicated he was willing to pay back the 11,601.25 debt and, prior to his court appearance, had begun paying off 150 per month.
Martin Jones, defending, argued that Southern's crime had not been dishonest because his original benefit claim was legitimate.
Mr Jones said his client deserved credit for starting to repay his debt and for his early guilty plea.
Southern, of Bakewell Drive, Beech Hill, was handed an 18-month community order in which he must fulfil 300 hours of unpaid work.
He was also handed a 200 penalty towards court costs.
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Thursday 02 September 2010
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