A 42-year-old Nairn man who obtained more than £6,000 in benefits to which he was not entitled has been given six months to repay the money.
Grant Maclennan, 19 Merryton Crescent, pleaded guilty at Inverness Sheriff Court yesterday to obtaining £5578.40 of Job Seeker’s Allowance when he was actually employed between July, 2011 and January 2014.
He also admitted claiming £655.56 in housing benefit during a similar period.
The court heard the offences came to light when someone gave the Department of Work and Pensions an anonymous tip-off.
Defence agent Marc Dickson said: “What he did was not calculated.He got a job as a landscaper for a short time but it carried on.
“He led a chaotic lifestyle at the time and had an alcohol addiction. The DWP is clawing back the money but it will take a long time for it to be repaid.
“If he gains employment, he intends to increase the payments.”
Sentence was deferred until September 3 for an update on what repayment had been made.
Nairn man who claimed falsely £6,000 in benefits given time to repay money
