A Dundee benefit fraudster who hid the fact he was raking in rent from his £320,000 property portfolio has escaped a jail sentence after his solicitor confirmed he had lodged the outstanding amount with his firm.
Roderick Grieve, who owned three houses paid in full by money inherited from his parents, even claimed that job centre staff told him he was still entitled to Employment and Support Allowance.
The 45-year-old was told by a sheriff he had displayed “rank dishonesty” when he last appeared. On Thursday. Sheriff Alastair Brown said that, owing to the fact he had lodged funds with his solicitor, he was prepared to deal with the case by a non-custodial sentence.
Grieve, of Findhorn Street, admitted claiming £2,437.22 in Employment and Support Allowance he was not entitled to between July and October 2012 and March and February 2013.
The court heard that Department Of Work and Pensions (DWP) staff had been tipped off about Grieve by two anonymous phone calls.
Depute fiscal Laura Bruce told the court the DWP discovered that Grieve had purchased two properties outright worth £150,000 and £100,000 in 2004 and 2008 respectively. He bought another property worth £72,000 in 2013.
Mrs Bruce said analysis of Grieve’s bank accounts showed that he had been receiving monthly rent payments.
When questioned by DWP staff why he was claiming benefits, he told them that staff in Arbroath Job Centre said he was entitled to do so.
Mrs Bruce added: “He admitted he had probably not told them the full circumstances.”
Solicitor Scott Norrie said last month his client had been trying to sell off land in Letham for some time and his recent income was “minimal to say the least.”
Sheriff Alastair Brown asked Mr Norrie: “Does he still have a property portfolio worth over £300,000?”
The sheriff added: “Very many people appear in this court who are on benefits, who appear to me to live a hand-to-mouth existence. They get into trouble because something has gone wrong.
“I don’t approve of that, but I can understand how sometimes they can get into that mess.
“People are confused, they find the system labyrinthine and I can understand that. Your client owns significant property unburdened by any lack of security.
“He chooses to claim public money which supports those who cannot support themselves and he lies about a member of staff. This is rank dishonesty which might very well merit a prison sentence.”
A new solicitor, Gary McIlravey, appeared on behalf of Grieve and told the sheriff £2,437.22 had been lodged with his firm in respect of the outstanding monies and asked for seven days for it to be paid to the sheriff clerk’s office.
Sheriff Brown concluded: “In placing Mr McIlravey in funds you have done absolutely the right thing, otherwise I might have taken a somewhat alternative view.”
Placing him on a community payback order with 200 hours of unpaid work, he told him: “This is a direct alternative to custody.”