Benefits cheats should get swift justice, says judge

BENEFITS cheats should be prosecuted and forced to pay back the money much more quickly, a judge has said in an attack on the Department for Work and Pensions.

Judge Nicholas Dean QC said it was hard to send fraudsters to prison because prosecutions took too long to come to court, giving offenders time to dispose of money and assets which could otherwise be seized.

In sentencing Bharaj Rawji, who in 2015 claimed £24,000 in handouts despite having £16,000 savings, the judge at Leicester Crown Court said the slow process was “bringing disrepute to the justice system”.

He said Rawji was first interviewed in April 2015. “These prosecutions are routinely delayed upwards by two years,” he said, warning that courts might become reluctant to proceed with cases if they took too long to go before them.

“I urge the DWP to think about what they want to get out of these cases, and take a more proactive stance when it comes to recouping money,” he said.

The £16,000 Rawji had in savings had disappeared by the time he appeared before the court, he added.

Rawji of Belgrave, Leicester, admitted seven counts of fraud, relating to jobseeker’s allowance, employment support, housing benefit and income support. The judge said: “It’s difficult after so much time to send someone to prison, even though they deserve it.” He was given an eight-month jail sentence suspended for two years.

Judge Dean told him: “In truth, the punishment would be to pay it back. I don’t believe he has no assets and it might mean confiscation proceedings will recoup more. He must have assets – he’s been working, albeit illegally, selling clothing bearing false labels.”

Amar Mehta, mitigating, said Rawji no longer had his former savings and was unable to work because he had a heart problem.