A man from Botley has been handed a six week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to carry out 80 hours unpaid work after pleading guilty to benefit fraud. Mark Stimpson, 38, of Stubble Close, Botley, appeared at Oxford Magistrates’ Court on Monday 13 May for sentencing after earlier admitting two charges of benefit fraud in relation to his claim for housing benefit. Magistrates’ heard how Stimpson had failed to notify Vale of White Horse District Council that he had worked at two different pubs in the area between March 2009 and May 2012. As a result he received more than £11,000 in housing benefit that he wasn’t entitled to. In May 2012 Stimpson’s overpayments were stopped after data matching services, which compare details such as bank accounts, National Insurance and tax payments, picked up irregularities with his ongoing benefit claim. Investigation officers then requested that he attend an interview under caution. As well as receiving a suspended prison sentence and an unpaid work penalty Stimpson must now pay all the money back that he wrongly claimed, alongside a £100 contribution which was awarded to the cost of the prosecution. Cllr Matthew Barber, Leader of Vale of White Horse District Council, said: “This was a very clear case of someone deliberately not informing us about a change in their circumstance so that they could claim more money from the public purse than they were entitled to. This is simply not acceptable and we will come down hard on anyone who thinks they can play the system in this way.” If you believe that someone is committing benefit fraud please contact us immediately, and in confidence, on 0800 1695716 or email fraud@southandvale.gov.uk.