A Tayport man who had more than £66,000 in his bank account claimed more than £9,000 in benefits he was not entitled to for almost two years, Dundee Sheriff Court heard.
Morgan Lee Coupar, 44, of Golf Crescent, admitted that between November 7 2010 and September 8 2012, at his home, he knowingly made false representations to the Department for Work and Pensions.
He admitted he stated that he did not have capital above the prescribed limit of £16,000 and that he only had a Post Office account while the truth was that he had two other bank accounts and obtained £9,012,62 in Earning Support Allowance, to which he was not entitled.
Depute fiscal Keith Robertson told the court that HM Revenue & Customs had received information that the accused might have capital in excess of the threshold sitting in his bank account.
“Inquiries were carried out on his bank account and it was found that he had capital amounting to £66,000,” Mr Robertson said.
“He was contacted and interviewed under caution and it’s fair to say he admitted from the outset that he had the capital.”
Solicitor Jim Caird asked Sheriff Charles Macnair to defer sentence in order to get a report from the social work department into Coupar’s background.
He told him: “The full sums have been repaid. He’s a man who cares for his elderly mother who is quite frail.”
Sheriff Macnair deferred sentence for a report and a restriction of liberty order assessment and ordained Coupar to appear on August 28 for sentencing.