A benefits cheat with an “addiction” to fraud has been jailed for four months.
Garry Hay’s solicitor said the 38-year-old regarded his problem as being akin to that of a gambling addict, after Hay admitted a string of charges including abusing staff at Angus Council’s housing department in Arbroath.
One worker was so frightened after Hay’s barrage that she had to be taken to her car by a colleague for fear of encountering him again.
Hay, of Ancrum Court in Dundee, appeared from custody before Sheriff Pino Di Emidio, where he pleaded guilty to obtaining jobseekers’ allowance and crisis loans by using a false name in Dundee and Arbroath.
He also admitted behaving in a threatening manner at Arbroath housing department in May 12 this year, repeatedly banging on doors there, shouting and swearing and refusing to leave the premises.
Depute fiscal Jill Drummond said Hay became the subject of a DWP inquiry after it emerged he was using the name of a man who had been working in the Channel Islands since 2006.
She told the court the Arbroath offence happened after Hay became abusive towards council staff over a housing application.
“He was informed that, due to tenancy issues and an allegation that he had provided a false name, the application was being refused. This seemed to make him somewhat irate.”
Defence solicitor Bob Bruce said the fraud matters were of some antiquity and had resulted from him being homeless at the time and “on his uppers”.
Sheriff Pino Di Emidio said: “This was obviously a frightening incident for those involved.”