Suspended term for ‘jobseeker’ fraudster

A social welfare tourist who flew between the Czech Republic and Cork on a regular basis to sign on for jobseeker’s allowance has been given a five-month suspended jail term for stealing €4,000 in the scam.

Garda Kevin Heffernan on secondment to the Department of Social Protection classified the crime as social welfare tourism.

Tomas Horak, 33, who is of no fixed address in Cork, denied the charges and explained a total of 25 flights by reference to his sick mother. He said he was visiting her and was also looking for jobs in Cork online while out of the country.