Benefit cheats milked £54,000

Only time husband used crutches was to go to court

A CHEATING husband and wife from Oldham who stole more than £54,000 in disability benefit which they were not entitled to, have both been given prison sentences.

George Nuttall (49) and his wife, Julie (45), claimed the money over a period of almost six years, Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court was told.

Both alleged they were virtually unable to walk and had to use crutches, but during a period of surveillance when they were watched by investigators from the Department for Work and Pensions, the only time Mr Nuttall was seen to use them was when he had to go to court — and then only to walk the last few yards into the building.

Martin Reid prosecuting, said that during the months the pair were being watched in late 2008 and early 2009, Mr Nuttall was also prosecuted for an assault on a police officer, when he was described as being “very agile”.

Sentencing him to 18 weeks in prison judge Jonathan Geake told him: “Quite clearly you were able to get physically involved in a fight, making nonsense of your claim.

“You pretended to use crutches in a deliberate and blatant fraud upon the public purse.

“In cases which are motivated by laziness and greed, the public ought to know people will be punished.”

The couple, from Linden Avenue, Greenacres, were told by Judge Geake: “You have both minimised your actions, and only pleaded guilty before a trial. You sought to blame everyone but yourselves.”

He sentenced Julie Nuttall to eight weeks in prison, but told her in view of her previous good character and situation, he felt able to suspend the term for 12 months.

The court was told that husband and wife, who both pleaded guilty to failing to notify the DWP of a change in their circumstances, had been overpaid the £54,000 between 2003 and 2009.

They had initially been entitled to the money, but there had been an improvement in the condition of both.

Mr Reid said George Nuttall had claimed he was virtually unable to walk unattended and needed someone with him all the time.

Mrs Nuttall who received part of her benefit in the form of a Motability car, said the same thing.

Both were watched walking relatively normally however. Mrs Nuttall was seen walking unattended, even in icy conditions, and her husband was observed walking at times ‘quite briskly’, bending and stretching without apparent difficulty, and carrying tools including welding equipment.

The only time he was seen using crutches was on December 8, 2008, when he had to go to Oldham County Court, and thought he might be seen by someone in authority.