Taxi Driver Online

Milford Haven taxi driver wrongly claimed £2,500 in benefits

A Milford Haven taxi driver, who claimed more than £2,500 in benefits while working a part-time job, was fined at Haverfordwest Magistrates Court on Monday. Allan James Beattie, aged 57, of Bunkers Hill, was charged after failing to declare the full extent of his employment to the Department of Work and Pensions and Pembrokeshire County Council.

The court heard that Beattie claimed incapacity benefit, council tax benefit and housing benefit between September 2009 and February 2010, while working as a taxi driver for Jocks Taxis.

Sharon Knox, prosecuting, said that a compliance officer who visited Beattie witnessed him working for the company, which later confirmed that he had worked for them for three years, doing 16 hours per week. Miss Knox said that under the Social Security Administration Act 1992, a person in receipt of incapacity benefit can work, but only if they do less than 16 hours per week, and only up to a period of 52 weeks.

Grayson Tanner, defending, said: “Mr Beattie is in extremely poor health. He has suffered four heart attacks, and suffers from chronic emphysema. He is also waiting for a replacement knee. “But he was in part time work for a taxi company, and was earning £200 per week.”

Beattie pleaded guilty to three counts of failing to notify a change in circumstances, which would have affected his entitlement to benefits. He was fined £150, ordered to pay £100 costs and a £15 surcharge, and told to repay £2,864 back to the public purse by magistrates.

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IDFIMH

Sixteen hours a week!

Two Hundred pounds earned per week!

So £12.50 an hour!

Office rent?

Fuel?

Goodbye Plymouth, hello Milford Haven.

(Or he was working more than 16 hours.)

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Chris The Fish

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gdlyi5mc ... re=related

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IDFIMH

'Fit and proper' whatever

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

Danger to the public more like.

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Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.

Believe me, don't get Mercury X2

I'll tell you what, why don't you feed off this guy's misfortune just to feel good about yourselves? After all, he's only struggling with money and health issues. Okay, so he screwed the benefit system to maintain a low standard of living at a slightly higher level, big fecking deal. It's not like he's a lobbyist, politician or a banker. I don't know if you've noticed, but the countries f*cked, and the people who caused it are all living off their ill-gotten gains. I wonder if they'll be dragged through the courts and forced to pay something back?

Oh now I remember, "we are all in this together."

Personally I'm not bothered if he's screwed the benefit system I'm more concerned about whether he is fit enough to be driving people around for a living

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

Personally, the truth is Toots. You are not remotely "concerned", and even if you were, you simply lack the knowledge and expertise to make a sound judgement. It must be extremely reassuring, not, to find yourself on the receiving end of people like you. I only hope it lasts. Your time may come sooner than you think.

Not sure I share those sentiments.

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IDFIMH

I can understand why you wouldn't and generally I don't don't think it's right that people do screw the system, but, I can't help thinking that if he was given enough to live on he wouldn't have done it. Of course I could be wrong. This man is clearly not fit for this job and I can't see him being an attractive option for any employer.

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

My only problem with your statement is, everyone has to be passed medically fit to do the job.
You might not agree, but you are hardly qualified to know better.

As for screwing the benefit system, I simply can't blame the guy, survival first, moral sentiments a poor second.