Legal News
A benefit fraudster convicted for failing to notify his change of circumstances (15 February 2013)
Date: 15/02/2013
A benefit fraud was revealed when a fraudster who received £27,000 wrongly in benefits claiming that he couldn’t walk was caught out working as a delivery driver.
His modus operandi was similar to that of the scenes from the comedy Little Britain where he resembled the character Andy.
Patrick Wildman who uses wheelchair was secretly filmed walking around a city.
The former bus driver has been convicted of benefit fraud after pocketing benefits money for over seven years.
The 47 year old had told the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) that he was in constant pain and could not walk without a stick or support from someone else.
The Plymouth Crown Court was told that Wildman was working as a delivery driver and a bus driver while claiming benefits.
The trial lasted for three days and Wildman was convicted for not notifying a change in circumstances that was affecting his benefit claim.
The jury saw the video footage where Wildman was shown walking freely around Plymouth city centre in November 2009.
While the jury was reaching guilty verdict Wildman sitting in his wheelchair in the docks showed no reactions.
Edward Bailey prosecuting told the jury that Wildman had received disability living allowance from 1994 as he was virtually unable to walk.
In 2000 he repeated his claim that couldn’t walk unsupported and that he was in constant pain in his back legs because of spinal disease.
In 2009 he filled in a form saying that he could only walk with a stick often needed to stop and was in severe pain but that year he told the officials that he was a local bus driver.
But investigators found that from 2002 he had worked for a local window company loading unloading heavy PVC windows.
The prosecutor said Wildman also worked for a firm delivering papers, often in bulk, between 2004-2006 and he failed to declare his health problems to his employers and did not tell the DWP about his work until 2009 because he was dishonest.
He added that though he was able to perform his jobs he was paid £27,626.85p to which he was not entitled.
Wildman said he was in constant pain even when he was seen walking through the city centre carrying a rucksack and wearing a yellow flourescent jacket.
He claimed his now estranged wife would travel with him and help unload the windows, doors and newspapers.
Wildman claimed he had never seen the annual letter reminding him to tell the DWP of any changes in his condition. He will be sentenced later.