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| Falmouth benefit cheat played golf and drove taxis http://www.taxi-driver.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=22694 |
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| Author: | captain cab [ Fri Jul 19, 2013 9:24 am ] |
| Post subject: | Falmouth benefit cheat played golf and drove taxis |
Falmouth benefit cheat played golf and drove taxis A £7,000 BENEFITS cheat who claimed disability stopped him doing basic tasks such as feeding himself was caught playing golf and driving taxis. Magistrates heard that for more than three years John Earnest Caulkin, 39, of Webber Hill Flats in Falmouth, was receiving disability allowance. He had told the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) he needed help seven days a week as he could not get out of a seat unaided or tend to his own personal hygiene, cooking or feeding. But between December 2008 and May last year he played golf and went tenpin bowling, worked as a taxi driver, at Sainsbury's supermarket unloading lorries and stacking shelves, and as a barman. Caulkin appeared at Truro Magistrates' Court on Monday after claiming nearly £7,000 in benefits he was not entitled to. When interviewed by the DWP, he told them he had not reported his change in circumstances because he had "good days and bad days" and disputed his condition had changed to any extent. But in court he pleaded guilty to failing to promptly notify the DWP of the change of circumstances which he knew would affect his entitlement to Disability Living Allowance, namely that his capabilities had improved. Altogether he claimed £6,900.85 to which he was not entitled, said Graham Calderwood, for the prosecution. He said Caulkin had claimed he needed help and private care frequently throughout the day and in planning and preparing meals, for his personal hygiene, and also suffered from a lack of concentration. Mr Calderwood said: "Evidence became available he worked as a taxi driver doing school contracts, private hire jobs and taxi work doing a full range of duties, carrying luggage, maintaining vehicles and he was working as a team leader at a supermarket on shop work, working nights, unloading lorries and stacking shelves, and working as a barman. He has played golf and tenpin bowling." A DWP spokesman said: "He said on his form that he could not get out of a seat or bed unaided, could not cut up his own food or grip anything and would like to play golf and go tenpin bowling but could not. "In the interview he said it took him days to complete the original application form, but admitted he no longer received any help with his personal care and agreed his condition had changed." Caulkin, who has previous convictions for shoplifting, dishonest handling and theft, was given a community order for a year with 100 hours of unpaid work. He was told to pay £150 costs. Read more: http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/Falmout ... z2ZTgeFbsV |
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| Author: | toots [ Fri Jul 19, 2013 10:21 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Falmouth benefit cheat played golf and drove taxis |
Has he got to pay any of the benefit money back? It's rather strange that if his badge was issued why he was able to claim such benefits in the first place or continued to receive such benefits if his badge was issued at a later date, don't the depts communicate down there 
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| Author: | Chris the Fish [ Fri Jul 19, 2013 10:29 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Falmouth benefit cheat played golf and drove taxis |
Do Departments in Local or National Government ever communicate? Not only does the left hand not know what the right hand is doing - the index finger has no clue what the thumb is doing on the same hand! It must be admitted that the index finger and middle finger do however often act in concert when telling us what to do! |
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| Author: | toots [ Fri Jul 19, 2013 10:33 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Falmouth benefit cheat played golf and drove taxis |
The beauty of computers, they don't have to communicate the computers will do it for them 
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| Author: | Sussex [ Fri Jul 19, 2013 8:14 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Falmouth benefit cheat played golf and drove taxis |
toots wrote: Has he got to pay any of the benefit money back? It's rather strange that if his badge was issued why he was able to claim such benefits in the first place or continued to receive such benefits if his badge was issued at a later date, don't the depts communicate down there They go after them via the County Court, not the Criminal Courts. By all accounts it's easier. They will either put a charge on a property, or deduct it from future benefits, but they will get it. |
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| Author: | grandad [ Sat Jul 20, 2013 7:32 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Falmouth benefit cheat played golf and drove taxis |
Sussex wrote: toots wrote: Has he got to pay any of the benefit money back? It's rather strange that if his badge was issued why he was able to claim such benefits in the first place or continued to receive such benefits if his badge was issued at a later date, don't the depts communicate down there They go after them via the County Court, not the Criminal Courts. By all accounts it's easier. They will either put a charge on a property, or deduct it from future benefits, but they will get it. Around here, when someone is found guilty of benefit fraud at the magistrates court the court orders them to repay the benefit. |
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| Author: | Sussex [ Sat Jul 20, 2013 7:51 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Falmouth benefit cheat played golf and drove taxis |
grandad wrote: Around here, when someone is found guilty of benefit fraud at the magistrates court the court orders them to repay the benefit. Different councils do different things. I think if they have got no assets then maybe the criminal court way is the best way forward, but if they have got assets then the county court is the best way forward. I was told why recently but have forgot. 
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| Author: | Nidge2 [ Sat Jul 20, 2013 8:06 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Falmouth benefit cheat played golf and drove taxis |
toots wrote: Has he got to pay any of the benefit money back? It's rather strange that if his badge was issued why he was able to claim such benefits in the first place or continued to receive such benefits if his badge was issued at a later date, don't the depts communicate down there Idiots like that don't realise that they're all linked together, Councils, DWP, Tax Credits Dept. A guy I know worked on the new system that is in place now. Even he said there's no getting away from capture anymore, those who work and claim benefits will be caught in time. |
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| Author: | edders23 [ Sat Jul 20, 2013 4:48 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Falmouth benefit cheat played golf and drove taxis |
toots wrote: Has he got to pay any of the benefit money back? It's rather strange that if his badge was issued why he was able to claim such benefits in the first place or continued to receive such benefits if his badge was issued at a later date, don't the depts communicate down there Data Protection councils are not allowed to share thier data with such agencies now if the DBS were to include benefit claims histories as well as criminal record checks that might make things a little more interesting |
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| Author: | toots [ Sat Jul 20, 2013 5:21 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Falmouth benefit cheat played golf and drove taxis |
edders23 wrote: toots wrote: Has he got to pay any of the benefit money back? It's rather strange that if his badge was issued why he was able to claim such benefits in the first place or continued to receive such benefits if his badge was issued at a later date, don't the depts communicate down there Data Protection councils are not allowed to share thier data with such agencies now if the DBS were to include benefit claims histories as well as criminal record checks that might make things a little more interesting Well I think it's stupid that departments can't share information |
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| Author: | wannabeeahack [ Sun Jul 21, 2013 2:42 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Falmouth benefit cheat played golf and drove taxis |
Have you noticed something though? Say your not working when you are and claim benefits (and get caught) and you get nicked Say you ARE working (self employed) when you are NOT and claim benefits and very few get nicked funny old world int it |
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| Author: | edders23 [ Sun Jul 21, 2013 5:32 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Falmouth benefit cheat played golf and drove taxis |
surely you would need to provide some evidence of earnings and secondly your benefits will be much lower so why would anyone do that ? |
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| Author: | gusmac [ Sun Jul 21, 2013 5:43 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Falmouth benefit cheat played golf and drove taxis |
wannabeeahack wrote: Have you noticed something though? Say your not working when you are and claim benefits (and get caught) and you get nicked Say you ARE working (self employed) when you are NOT and claim benefits and very few get nicked funny old world int it Tax dodging is far more lucrative and costs the exchequer far more. Some of it is even perfectly legal 
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| Author: | wannabeeahack [ Sun Jul 21, 2013 6:09 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Falmouth benefit cheat played golf and drove taxis |
edders23 wrote: surely you would need to provide some evidence of earnings and secondly your benefits will be much lower so why would anyone do that ? You would think that but its not straight forward as for income proof, if a cabbie was only taking cash how do they PROVE what hes taking? |
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| Author: | wannabeeahack [ Sun Jul 21, 2013 7:25 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Falmouth benefit cheat played golf and drove taxis |
edders23 wrote: toots wrote: Has he got to pay any of the benefit money back? It's rather strange that if his badge was issued why he was able to claim such benefits in the first place or continued to receive such benefits if his badge was issued at a later date, don't the depts communicate down there Data Protection councils are not allowed to share thier data with such agencies now if the DBS were to include benefit claims histories as well as criminal record checks that might make things a little more interesting wrong the DSS, DWP, HB, etc can access all info and also request bank information for any person and any linked persons at any address |
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