Three convicted of benefit fraud at Belfast court

Three people were convicted at Belfast Crown Court yesterday for claiming benefits they were not entitled to.

A man was given 120 hours community service and ordered to pay £22 court costs for wrongful encashment of Jobseekers Allowance totalling £108.

A woman was given 80 hours community service and ordered to pay court costs of £43 for failure to declare employment while claiming Income Support totalling £2,975.

Another woman was given 75 hours community service and ordered to pay court costs of £34 for failure to declare employment while claiming Income Support totalling £9,885.

All are also required to repay the money he wrongfully obtained to the Social Security Agency.

This brings to 301 the total number of successful prosecutions this year.