main content Four benefit fraudsters convicted

Four benefits fraudsters pleaded guilty at Bromley Magistrates Crown Court, bringing the total prosecuted to 31 over the past three years.

Council Leader Stephen Carr said "These cases show our continuing policy of proactively and vigorously pursuing fraudsters who perpetrate fraud against this authority."

• John Huggins,52, from Brunswick Court, Anerley Road in Penge pleaded guilty to defrauding benefits totalling £12,000 and was sentenced to a 4 month curfew order and ordered to pay £250 costs.
• Derek Boyling, 54, from Firbank Court, Bromley pleaded guilty to defrauding benefits totalling £3,171 and was fined £100 and ordered to pay £150 costs.
• Alexander A'Air, 30, from Elmers End Road in Penge pleaded guilty to defrauding benefits totalling £2,347 and was sentenced to a 4 month curfew and ordered to pay £240 costs.
• Lilibeth Landon, 44, from Birch Row, Bromley pleaded guilty to defrauding benefits of almost £14,000 and was sentenced to a 180 hours Community Punishment Order with a further £500 costs awarded to Bromley Council.

All four are being pursued for repayment of the benefits over claimed.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

• For media enquiries, please contact Luis Remedios on 020 8313 4886 or email luis.remedios@bromley.gov.uk.
• Anyone with any information about a suspected benefit fraud should contact (in strict confidence) the Fraud Hotline on 0800 169 6975.
• Bromley Council works in partnership with Greenwich Council's Corporate Anti-Fraud Team.
• These prosecutions brings to 32 the number of prosecutions for the period to April 2005. We have also been able to claim back over £195,000 in reward money for prosecutions, cautions, summonses and administrative penalties over three years.