Ex-councillor sentenced for benefit fraud

Simon Harris (41), must complete the 80 hours of unpaid work over the next 12 months and must also pay prosecution costs of 100.

Nottingham Magistrates Court heard how Harris, of Washdyke Lane, Hucknall, was in the process of trying to pay back the 5,598.52 he obtained through benefit fraud.

An earlier hearing at the court was told how Harris failed to tell the Department of Work and Pensions about his new 'job' with the council.

Harris had earlier pleaded guilty to charges of failing to notify a change in circumstances relating to benefit and not notifying the extent of his earnings.

At the hearing, Sheila Mott (prosecuting) said the ex-councillor put in a successful claim for reduced earnings allowance after he suffered an accident in 1987. He then became a self-employed taxi-driver.

But in 2003, he failed to declare becoming a councillor or work he began on a self-employed basis with IBA, who provide equipment for retail firms.

Helen Rooks (defending) told the court that Harris became entitled to the allowance after suffering an accident while working for the Post Office.

She said that, for a time, Harris, who had no previous convictions, could not work at all because of the leg injury and had to regularly attend hospital.

But he re-trained and started work as a taxi driver – a job he was still doing now.

Then, as well as becoming a councillor, he did some work for IBA, which would have taken him beyond the capacity of the reduced earnings allowance.

Miss Rooks also told the court of the break-up of Harris's marriage, the stress put upon him when working for IBA and the depression he suffered.

And she told of the limited time he gets to spend with his three young children – aged six, nine and 11 – who live with his former wife.

When sentencing him, the magistrates said that Harris must have "found the whole matter very stressful".