Man sentenced at St Albans Magistrates’ Court for housing benefit fraud
- Credit: Archant
SHENLEY: A man has been sentenced to a 12-month community order after dishonestly claiming nearly £11,000 in housing benefits.
Lee Goodrum, 44, previously of London Road, Shenley, and prior to that Honeywood Close, Potters Bar, appeared at St Albans Magistrates’ Court on Friday January 17 for sentencing.
He received the community order after pleading guilty to housing benefit fraud at Watford Magistrates’ Court on December 13 last year, following an investigation by Hertsmere borough council’s anti-fraud unit.
Goodrum starting a claim for housing benefit at the Potters Bar address in 2008.
Then towards the end of 2009, he moved to Shenley but failed to notify the borough council and dishonestly claimed a total £10,949.04.
The fraud was detected through a housing benefit matching service data match, prompting the investigation, and eventually leading Goodrum to admit during an interview that he had acted dishonestly.
Goodrum was sentenced to a 12-month community order of 180 hours unpaid work, which was reduced to 120 hours as he was given credit for pleading guilty at the first opportunity.
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He was also ordered to pay £100 costs and £60 victim surcharge.
