A man who witnessed his father kill himself then continued to claim his pension to pay for tattoos has been jailed for five months. James Crawford, who has mental health problems, saw his dad stabbed himself at the home they shared on Baguley Street, Droylsden, in May last year. But despite his death, the 22-year-old continued to claim his father's retirement pension and attendance allowance - a benefit for physically or mentally disabled people - at post offices across the area.From last May to July this year he collected the payments on 37 occasions totalling more than £12,000. Crawford was finally caught after investigators from the Department for Work and Pensions watched him collecting the benefits from Dukinfield Post Office. He admitted the fraud, telling officers he had used the money 'to pay bills and for tattoos', and was sentenced at Tameside Magistrates Court. Defending, Angela Fitzpatrick said: "It's quite clear that he has got mental health problems. He is awaiting counselling for this. "This situation, witnessing his father stabbing himself to death in front of him, clearly has a profound impact on anyone. "Those tattoos were to do with his father, an image of his father with RIP. "That shows the opposite of frivolity, it shows a deep-seated concern of his father's death which he witnessed. "To incarcerate someone with his instability would be extremely damaging. "This is a very damaged young man." Crawford's crimes went undetected for months as an inquest had to be held into his father's death so a death certificate was not issued straight away. In total he claimed £12,375.70. Sentencing, chairwoman of the bench Sandra Marston said: "This is a deterrent sentence. "Your actions were both protracted and totally gratuitous over a period of 14 months involving a huge amount of money." Manchester Evening News
The man is mentally ill and needs treatment not jailing! This sentence is an outrage and ignoring the fact this man is mentally ill - the sentence is still massively disproportionate to the offence committed. Here is a prime example of a cheat who swindled far more and did not get a prison sentence - no need to ask why! And what about the real thieves - the Westminster Trough Meisters, this vulnerable mans crime is ‘chickenfeed’ compared to the organised theft by our political masters.
7 comments:
Sandra Marston JP is a member of the Advisory panel on Denton and Audenshaw District assembly. She is involved in the Scouting movement, on the strength of which she is an unelected member of Denton & Audenshaw D.A.
What legal training she has I know not.
She is a former District Chair of the local Scouts.
A "deterrent" sentance usually means the crime is hard to detect so they hit the perpetraters hard
As to whether I agree with him being sent down as a fraudster or feel sympathy for his illness I must consider.
Tattoos and counselling do not prove that this thief is mentally ill. As for the other case, taxpayers should receive the benefits they are entitled to, your personal savings, usually accumulated through extreme thrift in our low wage economy, are YOUR business not the government's.
No, scum and the irresponsible get REWARDED under Labour, decent, sensible people get PUNISHED.
You get these real criminals in government corrupt bastards, a nice respectable public face and a vile corrupt private face.
This man knew what he was doing hes where all benefit cheats need to be banged up,and we want the money back.
But what about all the corrupt Cllrs? Ged Cooney a man with no criminal past? Do me a favour.
I didn't know magistrates could sentence onyone to more than 12 months?
Any comments anyone?
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