A Ramsey benefit fraudster who failed to declare a pension has been handed a suspended sentence.

Sixty-one-year-old John Alan East was overpaid nearly £30,000 in benefits he wasn’t entitled to.

He pleaded guilty to three counts of benefit fraud and was sentenced to 16 weeks’ custody, suspended for 18 months, and also put under a supervision order for 18 months.

We previously reported that East, who lives at Tower Road, was receiving income support since 2014, due to working a small amount of hours.

However, in September 2024, the Department of Health and Social Care became aware that he was receiving a pension which he had not declared.

It was found that he had received a lump sum of £24,000 and regular monthly payments afterwards.

East was said to have failed to declare a change of circumstances on 308 occasions.

This had led to an overpayment in benefits of £29,597.

The court heard that £29,424 is still outstanding, but that will be dealt with by the Department of Health and Social Care.

East was said to have no previous convictions.

Defence advocate Victoria Watterson said that her client had taken full responsibility for his actions, had co-operated with the authorities at all stages, and entered guilty pleas.

Ms Watterson said East had been speaking to the benefits office about repayment of the money, and that his claim had not been dishonest from the outset.

The advocate said that, although the amount was high, it had been claimed over a long period, so East ‘certainly wasn’t living the high life’.

Ms Watterson said the defendant had suffered mental health issues and there had been a lack of clear thinking at the time.

East was also ordered to pay £50 prosecution costs, at a rate of £10 per week, deducted from benefits.