A benefit fraudster who failed to declare three jobs he had worked at has been handed a suspended sentence.

Timothy Michael Clawson, aged 30, was overpaid £14,012 as a result of not declaring the work.

Magistrates sentenced him to nine months’ custody, suspended for two years, and also issued a nine month supervision order.

We previously reported that Clawson, who lives at Anagh Coar Close, was claiming income support benefit between February 2018 and January 2023.

His claim was not fraudulent from the outset.

However, in March 2023 the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) received information that Clawson had done work for three companies, which he had not declared.

From 2021, he had been employed at various times, by Organic Construction Solutions, Spot On Cleaners, and Ferncroft Environmental Ltd.

In August 2023, the DHSC obtained a T14 form from Organic Construction Solutions, and payslips from the other two companies, all relating to the defendant.

He was interviewed by the department and confirmed he had signed declarations that there had been no change to his circumstances, but said that he was dyslexic and couldn’t remember if he read them.

He was also shown bank statements and questioned about the pay slips, but said that he struggled with mental health issues.

Defence advocate Paul Glover asked for credit to be given for his client’s guilty pleas and lack of previous convictions.

Mr Glover said that Clawson had voluntarily already started paying back the overpayment at a rate of £20 per week.

The advocate referred to a probation report, which assessed the defendant as a low risk of reoffending and said that supervision would be helpful.

Magistrates made no order for prosecution costs in light of the overpayment already owed to the treasury.