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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Man jailed over 36 children claim | Man jailed over 36 children claim |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A father-of-two who fraudulently claimed almost £80,000 in benefits for 36 children has been jailed. | A father-of-two who fraudulently claimed almost £80,000 in benefits for 36 children has been jailed. |
| Irvin Fraser, 30, claimed child tax credits over three years from two addresses in Aberdeen. | Irvin Fraser, 30, claimed child tax credits over three years from two addresses in Aberdeen. |
| Fraser induced HM Revenue to make payments totalling £79,718. He was jailed for 13 months at Aberdeen Sheriff Court. | Fraser induced HM Revenue to make payments totalling £79,718. He was jailed for 13 months at Aberdeen Sheriff Court. |
| Sheriff Alexander Jessop said it was a "whacking" amount to be paid, and expressed surprise it was not detected. | Sheriff Alexander Jessop said it was a "whacking" amount to be paid, and expressed surprise it was not detected. |
| Fraser admitted making fraudulent claims from Tullos Circle and Abbey Road between November 2003, and June 2006. | Fraser admitted making fraudulent claims from Tullos Circle and Abbey Road between November 2003, and June 2006. |
| Fraser explained: "I was claiming child tax credit for my son and just added another name by chance. I wanted to stop but it just snowballed and spiralled out of control Irvin Fraser | Fraser explained: "I was claiming child tax credit for my son and just added another name by chance. I wanted to stop but it just snowballed and spiralled out of control Irvin Fraser |
| "They never asked for any documents. It went on for two years and I got away with it. | "They never asked for any documents. It went on for two years and I got away with it. |
| "I couldn't understand why they did not pick up on it. How could someone claim to have so many children but not be old enough to have them?" | "I couldn't understand why they did not pick up on it. How could someone claim to have so many children but not be old enough to have them?" |
| He said: "I wanted to stop but it just snowballed and spiralled out of control. I withdrew my last claim but they still paid £4,000 into the bank account. | He said: "I wanted to stop but it just snowballed and spiralled out of control. I withdrew my last claim but they still paid £4,000 into the bank account. |
| "I stupidly spent it, and that's when I got caught." | "I stupidly spent it, and that's when I got caught." |
| Spending spree | Spending spree |
| Fraser said he went on spending sprees buying clothes, toys and other products to "spoil his children rotten". | Fraser said he went on spending sprees buying clothes, toys and other products to "spoil his children rotten". |
| He said he also spent thousands of pounds on his wedding at Duthie Park's Winter Gardens in 2005. | He said he also spent thousands of pounds on his wedding at Duthie Park's Winter Gardens in 2005. |
| Fraser's lawyer, Shane Campbell, told the court the case may have seen methods of keeping a check and verifying claims of this particular nature being revised. | |
| It's an extraordinary case, someone should have spotted it Frank DoranAberdeen North MP | |
| Mr Campbell said: "But that's how easy it was for him to become involved." | |
| Aberdeen North Labour MP Frank Doran said serious questions had to asked why such a "Guinness Book of Records" case involving claims of 36 children could be allowed to happen. | |
| He said: "It's an extraordinary case, someone should have spotted it. There should be alarm bells ringing." | |
| A HM Revenue and Customs spokesman said it had systems in place for checking on fraud and that the majority of claimants were honest. | |
| He said: "We have taken in various measures to combat organised attacks on the system. | He said: "We have taken in various measures to combat organised attacks on the system. |
| "This is one that slipped through the net, it took us a while but we got him in the end." | "This is one that slipped through the net, it took us a while but we got him in the end." |
| Not guilty pleas from co-accused Annette Fraser, 37, were accepted. | Not guilty pleas from co-accused Annette Fraser, 37, were accepted. |