A Lancashire man who fraudulently claimed more than £60,000 in benefits has been jailed.
David Lockett, 57, formerly of Moss Side Lane in Great Eccleston, claimed benefits despite running a successful advertising business and owning a second home in France.
Wyre Council and the Department for Work and Pensions launched a joint investigation into Lockett’s circumstances following a tip off.
And the probe found that he had failed to declare his income to the authorities and persistently lied about it over a five year period.
As a result he was overpaid £63,000 in council tax benefit, income support and carer’s allowance between April 2006 and August 2011.
Coun Alan Vincent, cabinet member with responsibility for benefits at Wyre Council, said: “This is another example of our zero tolerance approach towards benefit fraud.
“We are not prepared to have hard working families and pensioners subsiding cheats.”
Lockett pleaded guilty to benefit fraud last November.
This week he appeared at Preston Crown Court where he was sentenced to 33 weeks imprisonment by the court.
He was also ordered to pay costs of £1,853.
In addition, all the overpaid money has been recovered.