Dancing cheat’s jail hop

A BENEFITS cheat who was unmasked as a fake when he took part in a dance competition despite claiming to be confined to a wheelchair has avoided jail.

Twinkle-toed Terence Read (61), a DJ at the Friends of the Forties night at the Lancaster Club in Failsworth, pocketed just short of £20,000 in welfare handouts after saying his arthritis left him unable to walk.

But his fleet-footed fakery came unstuck when the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) sent in investigators to film him taking part in a dance competition.

They secretly taped Read as he executed a string of energetic jive moves with a glamorous dance partner including the Jitterbug, the Charleston and the Lindy Hop.

Onlookers cheered and clapped and a panel of judges gave glowing reviews to Read and his partner as they completed a high-kicking and twisting five-minute dance routine before taking a bow — unaware his secret scrounging was being exposed.

Yesterday, Read, of Northwold Drive, Blackley, was ordered to complete 120 hours of unpaid work after a judge accepted that his original claim had been honest back in 1995.

Read pleaded guilty to failing to notify the DWP of an improvement in his condition at an earlier hearing.

The court heard Read, who claimed to be ‘’an authority on all things swing,’’ first claimed benefits in 1995 for arthritis and depression.

But in 2003 he had a hip replacement and his condition improved yet he failed to inform the DWP that he no longer needed assistance getting in and out of bed and with day-to-day activities.

He was investigated over an alleged overpayment after the DWP were informed of his new hobby from an anonymous tip-off.

Jonathan Rogers, prosecuting, said; “The claim was not fraudulent from the outset. He claimed disability living allowance with higher rate mobility and a higher rate care component. The claim became dishonest from June, 2005, through to December, 2008 — a period of three-and-a- half-years.

“It was dishonest by reason of the defendant’s failure to declare an improvement in his condition.”

David James, defending, said Read had suffered from arthritis from the age of 25 and had led an “existence” in his own home suffering from depression as a result of his condition. But had turned to dancing to enjoy life again.

He said Read, who has paid back £3,000 and is continuing to make repayments, wanted to offer a public apology for his behaviour.

Mr James said: “Arthritis still riddles this man’s body. The dancing is not a weekly event and it results in a number of days’ pain.”

Outside court, Read said; “I think it is a very fair assessment. I apologise publicly for the error I made. I am very sorry.”