IRRV Alert August 3 2008

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A local league football referee who claimed £17,000 in disability benefits has been jailed after being filmed officiating at matches.

 

 

 

A local league football referee who claimed £17,000 in disability benefits has been jailed after being filmed officiating at matches.

Steve Paskin, from Newport, had claimed he could not walk more than a 100 yards (91m) without extreme discomfort.

But investigators caught the 46-year-old in action as a referee at several games.

He was jailed for eight months at Newport Crown Court after admitting making false claims.

A previous court hearing was told that between May 2003 and June 2007, Paskin had claimed £17,375 in disability living allowance.

But an investigation was started when a list of registered referees for the Gwent County Football Association was passed to Department of Works and Pensions officials.

Paskin is the third referee in Wales to be caught out recently by investigators.

Sentencing him, Judge David Morris said: "This was a blatant cheat on the public purse. This was a benefit fraud.

"It was blatant, it was persistent."

The court heard that Paskin suffers from chronic back problems and chronic depression and claimed walking made him feel dizzy and sick.

But a video shown to the court showed him jogging and sprinting during a football match.

Paskin, of Bassaleg in Newport, admitted failing to notify the Department of Work and Pensions of a change in circumstances.

The Gwent County Football Association said Paskin had not registered as a referee for the coming season.


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