AN Okehampton man who claimed benefits of more than £18,000 while he was still working has been jailed for five months by Honiton magistrates. John Dobson, 47, of Broadmead Farm, Broadmoor Lane, had a job with a catering company in the kitchens of Okehampton Army Camp, magistrates last week heard. He pleaded guilty at a hearing in September to a charge of dishonestly failing to notify West Devon Borough Council of his change of circumstance between May 6, 2002 and September 26, 2004, whilst knowing it would affect his entitlement to Housing and Council Tax Benefit. He also pleaded guilty to a similar charge brought by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP). Angela Shoemark-Smith, prosecuting, said that he had received an overpayment in housing and council tax benefits totalling £8,591.61. He also received a further overpayment of £9,748.93 by the DWP. He received the money over a period of two and a half years. Magistrates sentenced him to five months in prison on each charge, to run concurrently. l A special 24-hour hotline has been set up by West Devon Borough Council for anyone who wants to give confidential information about suspected benefit fraudsters. The hotline phone number is 01822 813737.
