Month's jail for benefit cheat with criminal record
Published 20 Oct 2012 14:05
A 24-year-old prolific offender with an "un-edifying" criminal record has been jailed for a month for benefit fraud.
However, Richard Slattery, of Sedan Terrace, Enniskillen, won't have to spend an extra day in prison as the sentence is to run concurrent with the six months he is currently serving for another offence.
Slattery appeared at Fermanagh Court by video link from Maghaberry Prison and admitted cashing a Giro cheque for £227.26 to which he was not entitled.
A prosecutor explained that on March 25, last year, Slattery claimed he had not received his Jobseekers Allowance cheque for £227.26. He was issued with a replacement and cashed it at Enniskillen Post Office later that day. He returned to the Post Office the following day and cashed the original. He was interviewed and admitted the offence.
Defence solicitor, Mr. Michael Fahy, said Slattery had a somewhat un-edifying criminal record and was jailed earlier this year in relation a "myriad of offending".
He suggested that had Slattery been dealt with for this offence at that time he would not have received a longer prison sentence than he did. He urged the judge not to impose a sentence which would interfere with Slattery's release from prison on December 10.
Deputy District Judge Terence Dunlop jailed him for a month, saying he didn't intend to impose a sentence which would interfere with his release date.
This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 18 Oct 12
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