Aberdeen benefits fraudster jailed for 13 months
Man claimed he had 36 kids
Published:
AN ABERDEEN dad who claimed he had 36 children to con the benefits system out of almost £80,000 was today jailed for 13 months.
Irvin Fraser, 30, claimed £79,718.11 of child tax benefits over nearly three years.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court today heard the money was used to fund his drug habit.
But Fraser previously claimed he used the money to pay for a lavish £25,000 wedding to his 37-year-old wife Annette.
He also said he went on spending sprees buying clothes, toys and other products to “spoil his children rotten”.
He told how he cleared debts of around £2,000, lived off £1,000 a week and spent the rest decorating his flat in Torry.
Today Fraser’s defence agent Shane Campbell said the father-of-two spent around £150 to £200 a day on drugs such as heroin and valium at the time.
The offence was discovered when the Department of Work and Pensions contacted employers Fraser claimed he was working for but found he was not in a job.
They also found children had not attended child care schemes they were claimed to have been.
Fiscal Depute Gulnaz Bari said warrants were granted to attend Fraser’s home on June 29, 2006, and he was detained.
Fraser last month admitted making fraudulent claims from 10f Tullos Circle and his home at 44 Abbey Place, Aberdeen, to the Inland Revenue between November 1, 2003 and June 29, 2006. Mr Campbell said: “If you put a child in a sweet shop and tell him not to touch anything it is very unlikely he will.
“This was a person hopelessly addicted to heroin and given the opportunity to obtain cash on a regular basis.”
He said Fraser had initially started smoking heroin at the age of 18 but was making progress on a methadone programme.
Sheriff Alexander Jessop said: “Apparently no check on these claims was being made but that does not in itself justify the fraudulent activity.”
