Man claimed £31K in benefits whilst working in construction industry

Court hears 56-year-old became ‘accustomed’ to receiving wages and benefits

A Douglas man has narrowly avoided being sent to prison after claiming more than £31,000 in benefits he wasn’t entitled to.

William Michael Corrin, of Derby Road, returned to work after a stroke despite claiming Incapacity Benefit and Income Support.

The 56-year-old was sentenced at Douglas Courthouse today (5 September) after previously pleading guilty to 10 benefit fraud offences.

These included three of making false representations to obtain taxpayer funded support and seven of failing to inform Treasury that his circumstances had changed.

Between May 2017 and March 2022 Corrin continued to work within the construction industry – despite holding a medical certificate advising that he was unsuitable for manual work.

It meant he was overpaid £31,174.36p.

Corrin’s advocate told the court that his client’s claim hadn’t been fraudulent from the outset because he’d suffered a stroke in 2016 which had left him ‘totally paralysed down one side’.

However he accepted that Corrin had continued to receive benefits despite returning to work, for multiple companies, over the five-year period.

“He’s always wanted to work,” the advocate told the court adding Corrin had become ‘accustomed’ to receiving both benefits and wages.

“He has always worried about these offences,” he said, adding: “He has taken it seriously.” 

Imposing a 22-week custodial sentence, which will be suspended for two years, Deputy High Bailiff Rachael Braidwood described it as a ‘substantial’ overpayment.

Ordering Corrin to pay £125 in prosecution costs she told him: “It’s quite clear you didn’t need the money from the benefits.”

The court was told Corrin hasn’t yet given back any of the money which he was overpaid.