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Former Medway Labour councillor Dennis McFarlane has confessed to benefit fraud.
Mr McFarlane, who resigned from Medway Council after being suspended by his party group, confessed to cheating the system for nearly £4,000 whilst receiving his £9,000 per-year councillor’s allowance.
On the rap sheet for the disgraced former councillor was one charge of falsely claiming housing benefit (£173.63), council tax benefit (£51.91) and Job Seekers’ Allowance (£3,544.71). As an elected member receiving an allowance, he was not entitled to any of the benefits claimed.
Mr McFarlane also had a further 17 offences taken into account. Representing himself at Medway Magistrates’ Court, he accepted “total responsibility for the oversight on my part”, before claiming that his health problems made a community punishment unsuitable.
Mr Nigel Day, Chairman of the Bench, sentenced Mr McFarlane to 24 months’ conditional discharge, £150 court costs and repayment of the benefits illegally claimed.
Cllr Alan Jarrett, Portfolio Holder for Finance on Medway Council, said “This prosecution sends a clear message to everyone that Medway Council will not tolerate benefit fraud of any kind.
“It is completely unacceptable and we won’t hesitate to investigate, track down and prosecute those who cheat the system.
“I would like to pay tribute to the council’s investigation and legal teams who work tirelessly to make sure benefits go to the people who really need them.”
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