Fraudster made over £4,000 in false housing benefit claims to pay off his son's drug debt

A desperate dad committed fraud to raise over £4,000 to help pay off his son's drug debt.
Chesterfield magistrates' court.Chesterfield magistrates' court.
Chesterfield magistrates' court.

Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard how Anthony Robson, 40, of Gladstone Street, Glossop, made a false claim for housing benefit and illegally received £4,007.05 after he failed to declare he owned his home.

Prosecuting solicitor Becky Allsop told the hearing: “This case relates to the over-payment of housing benefit from October 20, 2016, to May 28, 2017, in the sum of £4,007.05.

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“Robson made a claim for housing benefit and provided the department with a certificate of rent and tenancy agreement for Gladstone Street, Glossop.

“It was assessed and passed for payment and evidence became available to the department that he had failed to declare that he owned the property and he was not a tenant.”

Robson admitted the claim was false and said his son had got into debt and it was the only way to get him out of financial trouble.

The court heard on Wednesday, March 7, how Robson had made a false tenancy agreement by making up the name of a landlord and using his wife’s national insurance number and he had forged her signature without her knowledge.

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Robson pleaded guilty to committing fraud by making a false housing benefit claim by failing to declare that he owned the property in question and he also pleaded guilty to making an article to assist in fraud by making a false tenancy agreement.

The defendant told the court: “I admit it and I did it for reasons because my son was in debt.

“It was not just debt, it was drug debt.

“I knew I would get caught eventually but these are people I didn’t want to mess with and my wife didn’t know.

“And I had to sell my car. It was a substantial debt of about £6,000.

“I am sorry but I did what I did to save my son’s neck.”

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He added: “I do not want to go to prison because I have kids. If I had the money I would pay it back.”

Magistrates adjourned the case and committed it for a further hearing at Derby Crown Court on March 28.

Robson was released on unconditional bail.