No jail and €600 fine for man guilty of €22K welfare fraud

A cleaner has been spared jail for fraudulently claiming more than €22,000 in benefits while he had a job.

Father-of-three, Khalid Adeeb, with an address at Latchford Close, Ongar, Dublin 18, received fines amounting to €600 after he pleaded guilty to charges under the Social Welfare Consolidation Act.

Judge William Early heard at Dublin District Court that Adeeb, who is from Pakistan, came to Ireland in 2001 and began working as a cleaner earning €300 a week.

However, in April 2008 he began claiming illness benefits and then claimed job seekers allowance until May 2009 while working at the same time.

Solicitor Joseph Maguire, representing the Department of Social Protection, told the court that Adeeb received €22,261 in benefits while he was working and to date he has paid back €3,640.

Adeeb, who is now unemployed, still owes €19,621 and has been making repayments of €40 a week.

Mr Maguire said: “It will take nine-and-a-half years at that rate to repay”.

Defence solicitor Eileen McCabe told the court that Adeeb had a good employment record after he came to Ireland and began working as a cleaner.

He earned €300 a week and had been in employment until 2009 when he developed a back problem.

While he was working he had thought he could claim supplementary welfare on top of his wages.

The defence lawyer said the fraud was inept as Adeeb had given his PPS number to his employer as well as to the social welfare office.

He has not been able to get work and now gets €400 a week in benefits of which he must give back €40 to pay for the fraud.

Currently he cannot make better repayments, but if work becomes available he is prepared to take it, Ms McCabe said in mitigation pleas.

Judge Early said Adeeb had defrauded citizens of a substantial amount of money.

He imposed four €150 fines which must be paid within periods ranging from two to six months otherwise Adeeb will be jailed for three days in default.

The judge said he was limiting the fines because of Adeeb's financial circumstances and took the remaining eight charges into consideration.