Benefits cheat must sell home in Sri Lanka

In November 2008 Brian Riley was jailed for eight months after a court heard how he claimed income support, council tax benefit and disability allowance even though he had set up home on the island.

Riley, who worked part-time for the Anglo Lanka Foundation following the 2004 tsunami, claimed to be living at a house in Newark Street, Bradford, but a judge was told that he stopped living there in February 2005 and continued to claim benefits for more than three years.

The 60-year-old, who married a Sri Lankan woman, now lives in Delamere Street, Bradford, following his return to the UK because of his health.

Although Riley, was overpaid about 22,000 in benefits, a confiscation hearing at Bradford Crown Court yesterday, was told that an agreed figure for his total benefit from criminal conduct had been fixed at just over 77,000.

Prosecutor Nicholas de la Poer said Riley's recoverable assets amounted to 30,525.21 and Recorder James Baird agreed to make a confiscation order in that sum.

The court heard that about 10,000 was already restrained in bank accounts, but the rest would have to come from the sale of his Sri Lankan property.

Recorder Baird agreed to give Riley six months in which to pay off the confiscation order and warned him that he faced a further 15 months in prison if the money was not paid.

In 2008 Riley pleaded guilty to failing to notify the authorities he was no longer resident in the UK. He remortgaged the Newark Street property and sold it for 80,000 in September 2007.

He admitted further charges relating to not telling the Department for Work and Pensions his assets had increased.