Benefits fraudster spared jail after pocketing £70,000 despite owning second home

Swansea Crown Court heard how the 75-year-old from Creswell Road, Clase, failed to disclose his true assets when making multiple benefit applications.

His undeclared holdings included land situated near Llandeilo in Carmarthenshire and a property located in Bulgaria.

The court imposed a 10-month prison term, suspended for 18 months, and required Tatlow to undertake a rehabilitation course.

Authorities will now launch a proceeds of crime investigation to scrutinise his financial affairs.

The fraud began in 2015 when Tatlow submitted an application for pension credits, prosecutor Matt Murphy told the court.

Applications for housing benefit and council tax reduction followed three years afterwards.

Each application required him to declare all assets in his possession.

Neither the land nor his second home were disclosed during his applications for state assistance.

His defence barrister Jon Tarrant told Swansea Crown Court his client might require assistance with managing his financial matters, suggesting a lack of competence in this area.

Through his fraudulent claims, Tatlow collected £39,821 in pension credits from the Department for Work and Pensions.

Swansea Council paid him £26,355 in housing benefit along with £4,363 in council tax reduction, bringing his total unlawful gains to £70,540.

During questioning, the pensioner denied committing any offences and characterised his failure to reveal his assets as "an oversight".

Of the entire sum wrongfully obtained, he has repaid just £1,083, with a mere £85 of that amount going to Swansea Council.

The defendant has four previous convictions for seven offences.

However, none of these relate to similar matters, and his most recent conviction dates back to 1999.

Tatlow's defence counsel acknowledged the offending warranted imprisonment but urged the court to adopt the pre-sentence report's recommendations.

The report suggested a rehabilitation programme that "will no doubt be of assistance in financial management - something which appears to be lacking".

Judge Huw Rees informed Tatlow he had obtained state funds to which he was never entitled and should feel ashamed.

The judge expressed sadness at having to sentence someone of Tatlow's advanced years for such conduct.

The 10-month custodial term reflected a one-third reduction for his guilty pleas.