Father and son cheated benefits
A window cleaner who claimed he was unfit to work and cheated the state out of nearly £30,000 benefits has been jailed for eight months.
William Bridges, who had a gambling problem, dishonestly claimed income support and Disability Living Allowance for almost five years before suspicious benefit agency officers began a surveillance operation.
During the next five months they filmed 59-year-old Bridges carrying ladders and standing on them cleaning windows.
By the time Bridges was interviewed he had been paid 28,542 by the Department of Work and Pensions and his 34-year-old son, Mark Bridges, who had been helping with the window cleaning round, had fraudulently obtained benefits totalling 13,849.
Bridges Snr, of Station Road, Haydock, and his son, of Pool End, St Helens, both pleaded guilty to three offences of failing to notify a change of circumstances.
David McLachlan, prosecuting, told Liverpool Crown Court Bridges Snr began obtaining benefits in December 1993 on the basis he was unfit for work and just over three years later began also receiving DLA.
Mr McLachlan said: "He made a statement that he needed help with personal care and had severely restricted mobility saying he could only walk short distances before he felt discomfort.
Mark Bridges claimed benefits dishonestly between January 2005 and June 2006.
Click next page for more ...The court heard that Bridges Snr has a previous similar conviction involving failing to reveal he had more than 3,000 savings.
Judge Bryn Holloway said footage shot by the investigators revealed Bridges Snr cleaning windows which involved "a good deal of physical effort".
Judge Holloway said it was quite clear that he had got used to getting benefits which he used to help support his gambling habit and when he got work failed to report his change in circumstances.
He said: "It is an extremely unattractive tale of someone of your maturity who should have had some idea of what he was doing and leading your son into the same dishonest activity."
He sentenced Mark Bridges to four months imprisonment suspended for two years and ordered him to carry out 300 hours unpaid work.
Steven Swift, defending Bridges Snr, said his client has been repaying the debt at 50 per month.
Ben Jones, defending Bridges Jnr, said his client had been hospitalised with drug induced psychosis but has been clean for two years.
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