27,000 Uk Pound Fraud By Welfare Cheat Living In Thailand

[taxexile]

£27,000 fraud by welfare cheat

By Megi Rychlikova THE PRESS , YORK.

A great-grandfather conned his way to £27,000 in benefits as he lived in Thailand with his new wife, a court heard.

David Martindale, 63, claimed three different state handouts on the grounds that he lived alone in Giles Avenue, Tang Hall, York, said James Lake, prosecuting for the Department of Work and Pensions.

In reality, he spent most of his time in Thailand with his wife, and their family of three, supporting them on British taxpayers' money.

But an anonymous phone call tipped off the authorities and the great-grandfather turned benefit scrounger ended up facing a jail term in the dock at York Crown Court.

"The total amount you had unlawfully is quite considerable," Judge Stephen Ashurst told him.

"I have to mark this deliberate conduct of failure to notify the change of your circumstances with a prison sentence, but I am going to suspend that sentence to take account of your guilty plea and the personal mitigation.

"Part of the rationale is that by retaining your liberty you are going to be in a better position in the long-term to pay off your debt to the community."

Martindale originally brought his Thai bride Nitya Kaswangsa, now believed to be 30, to York in 2001 and the pair married at the city's register office.

But life in Tang Hall soured for Nitya. She became fed-up and moved back to Thailand.

Defence barrister David Ward said Martindale had already repaid half the money and was repaying the rest.

Martindale, of Giles Avenue, Tang Hall, pleaded guilty to three charges of benefit fraud.

He was jailed for six months, suspended for 12 months on condition that he does 200 hours' unpaid work.

He must also pay the prosecution's £250 costs.

Mr Lake said Martindale started claiming housing benefit and council tax benefit in 2002 and was awarded pension credit in addition in April 2004. The authorities believed he lived alone in Giles Avenue.

But in reality between January 2004 and May 2007 he spent 29 months out of 42 in Thailand and a police raid found long-term visas granted by the Thai consulate in Britain in Martindale's York address.

He could only claim the benefits provided he spent less than four weeks living abroad.

The authorities also heard he had fitted a carpet in England for cash in hand in 2006. In total, Martindale got £15,499.80 in pension credit, £9,750.85 in housing benefit and £2,332.25 in council tax benefit he was not entitled to.

Mr Ward said Nitya Kaswangsa originally lived in this country, but could not cope with British life, so returned to her own country. Martindale spent the money supporting her, paying school fees and on air fares to and from Bangkok.

The couple had a six-year old child and she had a 12-year-old child by a previous marriage and a 13-year-old adopted child.

His benefit claim was originally honest, but once he realised he had broken the rules by living in Thailand, he did not have the honesty to admit it to the authorities.

He had four daughters by his first marriage, six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

11:08am Friday 25th January 2008

[jackr]

Better UK tax-payers money going to someone who has actually worked and paid tax than certain low-life Europeans coming over and leeching off the State. Good on him I say.

[bendix]

By any definition, he too is a European low life.

[seonai]

Don't they look so happy in the photo ... not

[mikethevigoman]

£27,000 fraud by welfare cheat

By Megi Rychlikova THE PRESS , YORK.

A great-grandfather conned his way to £27,000 in benefits as he lived in Thailand with his new wife, a court heard.

David Martindale, 63, claimed three different state handouts on the grounds that he lived alone in Giles Avenue, Tang Hall, York, said James Lake, prosecuting for the Department of Work and Pensions.

In reality, he spent most of his time in Thailand with his wife, and their family of three, supporting them on British taxpayers' money.

But an anonymous phone call tipped off the authorities and the great-grandfather turned benefit scrounger ended up facing a jail term in the dock at York Crown Court.

"The total amount you had unlawfully is quite considerable," Judge Stephen Ashurst told him.

"I have to mark this deliberate conduct of failure to notify the change of your circumstances with a prison sentence, but I am going to suspend that sentence to take account of your guilty plea and the personal mitigation.

"Part of the rationale is that by retaining your liberty you are going to be in a better position in the long-term to pay off your debt to the community."

Martindale originally brought his Thai bride Nitya Kaswangsa, now believed to be 30, to York in 2001 and the pair married at the city's register office.

But life in Tang Hall soured for Nitya. She became fed-up and moved back to Thailand.

Defence barrister David Ward said Martindale had already repaid half the money and was repaying the rest.

Martindale, of Giles Avenue, Tang Hall, pleaded guilty to three charges of benefit fraud.

He was jailed for six months, suspended for 12 months on condition that he does 200 hours' unpaid work.

He must also pay the prosecution's £250 costs.

Mr Lake said Martindale started claiming housing benefit and council tax benefit in 2002 and was awarded pension credit in addition in April 2004. The authorities believed he lived alone in Giles Avenue.

But in reality between January 2004 and May 2007 he spent 29 months out of 42 in Thailand and a police raid found long-term visas granted by the Thai consulate in Britain in Martindale's York address.

He could only claim the benefits provided he spent less than four weeks living abroad.

The authorities also heard he had fitted a carpet in England for cash in hand in 2006. In total, Martindale got £15,499.80 in pension credit, £9,750.85 in housing benefit and £2,332.25 in council tax benefit he was not entitled to.

Mr Ward said Nitya Kaswangsa originally lived in this country, but could not cope with British life, so returned to her own country. Martindale spent the money supporting her, paying school fees and on air fares to and from Bangkok.

The couple had a six-year old child and she had a 12-year-old child by a previous marriage and a 13-year-old adopted child.

His benefit claim was originally honest, but once he realised he had broken the rules by living in Thailand, he did not have the honesty to admit it to the authorities.

He had four daughters by his first marriage, six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

11:08am Friday 25th January 2008

I over heard a scouser telling his mates he was claiming in the uk and only goes back to sign on, and when he does he takes cigarettes to cover his costs, pattayas finest !

[taxexile]

But an anonymous phone call tipped off the authorities

perhaps you should do your duty.

[torrenova]

Better UK tax-payers money going to someone who has actually worked and paid tax than certain low-life Europeans coming over and leeching off the State. Good on him I say.

Though he was wrong, there are far worse abusers of the system than him. Probably some of these are the ones who grassed him to the authorities !

[t.s]

Better UK tax-payers money going to someone who has actually worked and paid tax than certain low-life Europeans coming over and leeching off the State. Good on him I say.

Though he was wrong, there are far worse abusers of the system than him. Probably some of these are the ones who grassed him to the authorities !

im not really sure who is lower, the guy committing the fraud or the petty, vindictive indiviual who turned him in.

i refuse to believe the informant was acting out of a sense of national duty.

[Maigo6]

Many English guys are claiming benefits from UK and spending a lot of time in Thailand.

Guy I know rents out his Flat in London that is paid for by the taxpayer, claims all sorts of benefits, also works illegally and spends 9 months a year in Thailand.

Edited February 5, 2008 by Maigo6

[chownah]

I guess the story has a happy ending....he's realised the error in his ways and is paying the money back.....good for him....good for us....good for them.....let's have a group hug all around!!!!

Chownah

[goldfish]

The authorities also heard he had fitted a carpet in England for cash in hand in 2006.

Slow news day in the Uk?

[mrbojangles]

When i first started reading the story i was a bit of the "hang him high" brigade. But i must admit i feel a tad sorry for him.

Probably never been in trouble in his 63 years. Needed the money and thought he could get away with not informing them of a change in circumstances.

On another note, the UK are talking about NOT giving custodial sentences to burglars, because the jails are full. Well, i'm sorry, i'd sooner have burglars inside and these type of swindlers on the outside, than the other way around.

[GuestHouse]

im not really sure who is lower, the guy committing the fraud or the petty, vindictive indiviual who turned him in.

i refuse to believe the informant was acting out of a sense of national duty.

I'd be happy to shop anyone who is illegally claiming benefits.

The welfare benefits system was put in place to help people who genuinely need help - and there are plenty of people in dire and desperate need of help.

It relies on the continuing support of people who pay into the system - not just their payments, but also their support and commitment to the welfare system.

Scrounging scum who illegally claim welfare to fund the life they want but don't want to work for undermine public support for welfare and in the end put at risk the availability of welfare for the people who genuinely need help and absolutely ought to get it.

He's scrounging scum and he's been caught - Good news to my ears.

Good news too that at last the UK government is adopting the political will to deal with these parasites.

[thaiclan]

Yes its wrong but until the UK actively get the big corporates to pay the BILLIONS of tax they avoid using LEGAL loopholes who really gives a F@#$ about these small uneducated guys???

BHS, Miss Selfridge, Dorothy Perkins etc all owned by Mr. Green did not pay one penny in tax last year as they are registered in his wifes name in Monaco. Now this is LEGAL but hardly ethical. Why do we have respect and "pat on the backs" for guys who use loopholes to NOT pay tax, but utter disdain and disgust for the low class eejits who get a few grand or so by being dishonest.

I mean shock horror can you believe he laid a carpet cash in hand!! Send him to the gallows this instant!

According to Discovery channel the other month corporate white collar crime exceeded four fold all the non-violent "lower class" crime in the US.

Its all about power and control at the end of the day not about the money....

[GuestHouse]

^

That one person commits one crime is not an excuse for someone else to do likewise.

Its not a case of 'Until the UK government gets those other crooks' as lets get both lots.

Anyway a step in the right direction.

Maybe if the government offered cash rewards for blagging welfare scroungers they'd catch more and the more efficient blaggers could retire on the proceeds of their good deeds.

I'd support such an idea.

[thaiclan]

I subscribe to "what you focus on will expand". Don't focus on benefit cheaters but focus instead on real solutions to encourage a healthy happy and rewarded workforce :-)

Idealism is NOT dead

[GuestHouse]

Don't focus on benefit cheaters but focus instead on real solutions to encourage a healthy happy and rewarded workforce :-)

Yes, manage welfare so that it is not an excuse and a reward for not working.

Reassure those that pay into the system that their hard earned money is being managed well and cheats are being caught.

And in doing so protect welfare for those in genuine need.

... Now about that reward scheme...

[Dave the Dude]

On another note, the UK are talking about NOT giving custodial sentences to burglars, because the jails are full. Well, i'm sorry, i'd sooner have burglars inside and these type of swindlers on the outside, than the other way around.

I completely agree with you MrB

I do not understand why VIOLENCE is now seen as a small crime in the UK when compared to robbing large Corporations/Government Departments. I know its all wrong, but those who endanger life should know there are deterrents.

Gun/knife amnesties Bah-humbug Thats just to make the families feel better.

Honest Dave from Brixton

[Dave the Dude]

Don't focus on benefit cheaters but focus instead on real solutions to encourage a healthy happy and rewarded workforce :-)

Yes, manage welfare so that it is not an excuse and a reward for not working.

Reassure those that pay into the system that their hard earned money is being managed well and cheats are being caught.

And in doing so protect welfare for those in genuine need.

... Now about that reward scheme...

GREAT IDEA

Call in DOG THE BOUNTY HUNTER

[Tolley]

Yes its wrong but until the UK actively get the big corporates to pay the BILLIONS of tax they avoid using LEGAL loopholes who really gives a F@#$ about these small uneducated guys???

BHS, Miss Selfridge, Dorothy Perkins etc all owned by Mr. Green did not pay one penny in tax last year as they are registered in his wifes name in Monaco. Now this is LEGAL but hardly ethical. Why do we have respect and "pat on the backs" for guys who use loopholes to NOT pay tax, but utter disdain and disgust for the low class eejits who get a few grand or so by being dishonest.

I mean shock horror can you believe he laid a carpet cash in hand!! Send him to the gallows this instant!

According to Discovery channel the other month corporate white collar crime exceeded four fold all the non-violent "lower class" crime in the US.

Its all about power and control at the end of the day not about the money....

Agree 100 percent.

Funny how there is a real double standard when it comes to tax fraud and welfare fraud.

Avoid or cheat on your income tax return and it is sociallyl acceptable yet if you are at the bottom of the heap and your only recourse is welfare fraud well hang em high.

Rule number one i suppose comes into play, it is always a crime to be poor!

[HS Mauberley]

Maybe if the government offered cash rewards .....

Nice idea. I think the East Germans/Stasi adopted a similar system. Worked well for them.

On the subject of double-standards, let's not forget the delightful Mr Conway (still-MP), who used tax payer's money to fund his ('flamboyant' and Shirley Temple-liking) son's party lifestyle and who still - amazingly - has a job. On the one hand Lady Conway Jnr was throwing parties on the theme of '<deleted> you - I'm rich' (acceptable to the establishment), paid for with £80,000 of public money; on the other, Mr Average (unacceptable to the establishment) plods away and scams a third of this and gets sent to jail. The real crime here isn't fraud. The crime is not being part of the establishment.

[burman]

The govt has already offered cash rewards for informing on benefit scammers.

The rich and powerful in the UK have been screwing over the poor for hundreds of years, so I have no problem with the poor trying to take a bit back.

[howtoescape]

The govt has already offered cash rewards for informing on benefit scammers.

The rich and powerful in the UK have been screwing over the poor for hundreds of years, so I have no problem with the poor trying to take a bit back.

I agree, seems its the onyl way to survive, if you earn less then 40K a year and have a family.

Thing is the rich are better at srewing over the poor then vice versa.

[simon43]

I think he looks like Chris Evans . . . .

Simon

[esprit]

The govt has already offered cash rewards for informing on benefit scammers.

The rich and powerful in the UK have been screwing over the poor for hundreds of years, so I have no problem with the poor trying to take a bit back.

I agree, seems its the onyl way to survive, if you earn less then 40K a year and have a family.

Thing is the rich are better at srewing over the poor then vice versa.

But none as good as the immigrants who have conned their way into the UK and that includes many who arrived from Eastern Europe as they neither had the backbone, the political will or simply they felt they were a perscuted minority that won over the do-gooders of the day and were allowed to stay. You usually find it is to that group the most moralistic, egotistical and generally arrogant people come from when they spout on about the good deed someone has done to shop this guy. Whilst his actions can not be condoned it is him and his family that have previously stood up and defended Britain such that it was an attractive place to run for these real immigrant lowlifes who were able to get to Brtain in the first place and now have the freedom to pontificant over such matters.

[JetsetBkk]

[GuestHouse]

The govt has already offered cash rewards for informing on benefit scammers.

The rich and powerful in the UK have been screwing over the poor for hundreds of years, so I have no problem with the poor trying to take a bit back.

Yeh right - Except benefit crime is screwing everyone, including large numbers of hard working people who are not rich but actually believe it a good idea to take responsibility for their own lives instead of putting their hand out.

So we have hard working people who are not well off paying into the welfare system and scrounging scum who are not entitled to welfare helping themselves.

The guy's a parasite.

And I have the perfect punishment - A peddled powered electricity generator - Let him spend ten hours a day peddling away to generate electricity - low carbon energy and a chance to be some use in life.

Together with the estimated 60% of illegitimate disability benefit claiments I reckon the UK could become and export of peddle powered electricity.

I'd leave the lights on at night to do my bit at keeping them in useful employment.

[burman]

I say we go after the rich people screwing the country first, after that let's start chasing down the little people.

One day we might even see UK tax money being spent properly.

[Pepe']

By any definition, he too is a European low life.

-------------------------

"Let he who is among you without sin cast the first stone" -JC

Some things never change...

[Pepe']

Don't they look so happy in the photo ... not

------------------

Maybe it was a bad picture?