A MAN who used his son to claim thousands of pounds in benefit payments has been ordered to pay back all the money he fraudulently received.

Conman Ivan Pohlot, 51, received housing and council tax benefit after telling Southend Council his son was attending nursery.

Magistrates in Southend were told that Pohlot, formally of Milton Street in Southend, fraudulently completed a child care form in support of his bogus welfare application.

However, the council’s fraud team later discovered his son had never attended the nursery.
When interviewed under caution Pohlot, who was wrongly paid £5,888.76 in housing benefit and £24.20p in council tax benefit, immediately admitted what he had done.

Pohlot admitted a charge of dishonestly providing a false statement and was ordered to repay the wrongly claimed benefits.

He was also given a conditionl discharge for 18 months and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £100.

Andrew Moring, councillor responsible for corporate support services, said: “Any attempt to abuse the benefit system is taken very seriously.

“The council is fully committed to paying benefits to residents who have legitimate claims and genuine needs.

“However, we also have a duty to protect public finances and anyone who abuses the system will be prosecuted.”

Anyone who has suspicions over a person’s entitlement to benefit can call the Corporate Fraud Team in the strictest confidence on 01702 215254 or email counterfraud@southend.gov.uk.