Perthshire fraudster claimed dead dad’s benefit

Jun 30 2009 by Les Stewart, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

FOR a year after his elderly father’s death, a Perthshire man continued to claim thousands of pounds worth of benefits from the council on his behalf.

Cash-strapped John Neill (63), of Alltruighe, Amulree, even used £1620 of the cash to pay for his dad’s funeral, Perth Sheriff Court was told.

Neill had originally been charged with fraudulently receiving £11,266 but a guilty plea was accepted to a much reduced amount of £3660.

He admitted failing to promptly notify Perth and Kinross Council that his father, Terrance, had passed away in September, 2005.

The court heard that Mr Neill, sen., originally lived in Gloucestershire but moved up to Scotland in 2003.

The accused was staying in Forgandenny at the time and his father rented a flat in Bridge of Earn.

Mr Neill arranged for his son to act as his agent over benefit matters and he countersigned an application form for housing and Council Tax payments.

The money was paid into Terrance’s bank account at the Royal Bank of Scotland.

After a fire at his flat in Bridge of Earn, Mr Neill’s health deteriorated further and he became a resident at Parkdale Nursing Home, Auchterarder, in March, 2005.

Sadly he died there on September 3, 2005. But the authorities weren’t notified – and the benefits continued to arrive in the dead man’s bank account.

When the accused was quizzed by police, he initially denied taking the cash via an ATM machine.

But, very quickly thereafter, he owned up, stating he had encountered “financial difficulties.”

Solicitor Fred Blackie said that the deceased had given his son his bank card to enable him to make withdrawals for shopping, etc., while he was in the flat and the home.

“He realised the error of his ways about a year after his father’s death when he received a letter from the council with an annual review of his benefits position.”

He realised the council had continued to pay the benefits, panicked and chopped up the bank card.

“It is very unfortunate that a man of his age and previous good character finds himself here today,” added Mr Blackie.

“He does accept he did not act properly and, with the benefit of hindsight, would not have acted the way he did.”

Sheriff Michael Fletcher deferred sentence until June 23, 2010, and told the accused to repay the cash at the rate of £100 a month.

Neill was also ordered to be of good behaviour.