Con worker caught (From Stourbridge News)

Con worker caught

3:10pm Monday 22nd January 2007 in Local

A BRIERLEY Hill man has been handed a six-month community order after being found guilty of claiming almost £10,000 in sickness benefit while working.

Peter Mason, 62, of Woods Lane, failed to declare working part-time at Swindon Golf Club and still claimed £9,829.25 between October 2003 and April 2006.

Dudley magistrates heard the 62-year-old believed he could still work part-time whilst claiming incapacity benefit and had never declared he had the job during the two-and-a-half-year period.

The court heard Mason had been "reckless rather than deliberate" by claiming the cash. He had first claimed incapacity benefit in March 1999.

He was also ordered to carry out 40 hours' unpaid community work and pay £175 costs.