Jobcentre adviser jailed for expenses swindle

Richard Ingham was working as a personal adviser to job seekers when he helped claimants submit around 100 fraudulent expenses claims between June 2010 and May 2011.

Bradford Crown Court heard that most of the claims were made under the Travel to Interview Scheme, but investigations revealed many of them involved non-existent trips to Scotland or the south of England.

Prosecutor Craig Hassall said the long distances involved had been designed to maximise the value of the claims.

He said Ingham, 50, from Halifax, was clearly the “hub” of the offending which involved seven other men from Halifax, Elland and Brighouse.

Two other men, Lee Richardson, 28, and 33-year-old Raja Yason, both from Halifax, were both cleared by a jury after they went on trial accused of being part of the conspiracy to commit fraud.

Ingham, who worked at Crossfields House job centre in Halifax, pleaded guilty to the same conspiracy charge as well as further offences of possessing articles for use in fraud and fraud by abuse of position.

After Ingham’s arrest in November 2011, police found a large number of documents at his home which contained personal details and bank details of more than 400 claimants.

Six other men also admitted the same conspiracy allegation, but said they had split any money they received with Ingham.

The co-accused were said to have received total amounts of between £1,100 and £4,000.

Stephen Baldwin, 52, from Halifax, was sentenced to a 12-month community order with a requirement to do 90 hours unpaid work.

Michael Hammond, 27, from Halifax, received a similar community order with 80 hours unpaid work. Mark Jowett, 38, and Gareth Ott, 30, both from Halifax, were both given 60 hours unpaid work.

Wesley Watson, 30, of no fixed abode, was given 80 hours of unpaid work while Stephen Ormston, 46, from Elland, was ordered to participate in a 30-day activity requirement under his community sentence.

Stephen Watson, 32, Granny Hall Park, Brighouse, admitted handling stolen goods in relation to payments made to him to which he was not entitled. He is required to do 70 hours of unpaid work.