Accrington dental nurse claimed £15,000 in benefit fraud (From This Is Lancashire)

Accrington dental nurse claimed £15,000 in benefit fraud

1:39pm Saturday 26th November 2011 in News By Sam Chadderton , Reporter

BENEFITS CHEAT Julie Preston failed to report that her son Jake Preston’s physical condition had improved

THE mother of a motorcoss champion who pretended to be crippled has been sentenced for benefit fraud.

Julie Ann Preston, 43, a dental practice manager in Accrington, pocketed more than £34,000 after she claimed her son Jake Preston was crippled with a rare condition called syringomyelia.

He was filmed by fraud investigators winning a championships race.

The 20-year-old was handed a community order for falsely claiming £15,128 of disability living allowance over three years.

Preston, who is a manager at Oak House Dental Centre in Church Street, Accrington, was sentenced to two months in jail, suspended for 12 months, 200 hours unpaid work and ordered to pay £2,400 compensation.

She admitted the same fraud on DLA worth £34,615 between October 2001 and July 2007, relating to her claim for him while he was a youngster.

Preston, of Loweswater Road, Farnworth, admitted failing to notify the Department for Work and Pensions of a change in her son's circumstances, namely the improvement in his physical abilities.

The court heard it was not yet clear when her son's condition improved to the point where he no longer should have been claiming the benefits.

He had been racing bikes since the age of 10, competing in Holland at one point, and was filmed winning one race and coming third in another during the British Masters Motocoss Championships which took place in Whitby, North Yorkshire.

Preston had claimed the higher rate of disability living allowance (DLA), getting around £100 per week to pay for his care.

The higher rate of DLA was for people who are virtually housebound and” both during the day and night.

He was convicted of a £15,128 benefit fraud because after he turned 16 in 2007, he made a claim for DLA in his own right, signing the form claiming he could not walk a yard without severe pain.

The Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust which employs Julie Preston said it will look into the ‘regrettable’ case.