A benefit fraudster who failed to declare his wife was living with him has been handed a suspended sentence.

Richard Needham admitted four counts of the offence, which saw him overpaid £10,285 that he wasn’t entitled to.

Deputy High Bailiff Rachael Braidwood sentenced the 63-year old to 20 weeks’ custody, suspended for two years.

The court heard that Needham, who lives at The Curraghs in Ballaugh, has already begun payment back the amount.

The offences were committed between March 2019 and June 2023.

Needham was overpaid £2,923 in income support and £7,362 in job seekers allowance.

He initially pleaded not guilty to the charges but then changed his pleas to guilty on a later date.

He has a similar previous conviction in 2015.

Defence advocate Stephen Wood said that, at the time his client completed the claim forms, his wife had not been residing with him.

Mr Wood said that Mrs Needham had been looking after her mother in the UK for long periods, so had not been living at the same address as her husband.

The advocate said that it had not been a case of his client making one application for benefits then routinely collecting the money for years and years.

Mr Wood asked the court to consider the Article Eight Human Rights of his client’s elderly parents, who he said he provided assistance to, as well as his guilty pleas, and the repayments already made.

The advocate went on to say that Needham would lose his employment if he was jailed, which would make repaying the benefits more difficult.

‘He accepts he should have informed the department of his wife officially residing at the address, even though she was not there for long periods,’ said Mr Wood.

‘None of the benefits received were utilised towards lavish living.’

A probation report assessed the defendant as a very low risk of harm to others.

Deputy High Bailiff Ms Braidwood also imposed a two-year suspended sentence supervision order.