Benefits cheat Anthony Cleverley ordered to pay back £15,000

Apr 22 2009 by Adam Aspinall, Birmingham Mail

A BENEFITS cheat who moonlighted as an Army Cadet Force instructor has been ordered to pay back almost £15,000 in stolen benefits.

Anthony Cleverley, from Acocks Green, claimed Disability Living Allowance and Incapacity Benefit on the basis he was unable to work due to ill health.

He said he could only walk two to four yards at a time and needed the aid of sticks, splints and a wheelchair to get around.

But the 40-year-old man took budding young cadets hiking across the Midland countryside and on vigorous weekend camping trips.

An anonymous tip-off to investigators at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) exposed how Cleverley had told the Army he was in good health and had no disabilities that would affect his ability to stand, walk, climb stairs, lift or use his hand and arms.

Earlier this month he admitted a charge under the Social Security Administration Act for a failure to declare a change in circumstances.

Yesterday Cleverley, who could have faced a custodial sentence, was ordered to pay back £14,697.92 overpayment of benefits in full.