By Staff Reporter

Last updated at 12:05, Wednesday, 28 November 2012

A lorry driver has been given a suspended prison sentence after he admitted committing fraud to get a series of jobs in the road haulage industry.

David Twomey, 46, of Old Hall, Cleator, admitted 17 offences at Carlisle Crown Court.

These were six offences of driving while disqualified; six offences of using a vehicle without insurance; three offences of fraud by false representation and two offences of failing to disclose information to the Department for Work and Pensions.

Police began to investigate Twomey for offences in relation to tachographs and the use of a mobile phone.

He was caught driving with no insurance and after taking in account of all the other previous offences, he was disqualified.

Ahead of being disqualified from driving in June 2011, he applied for and was issued with two other driving licenses, using slight variations on his real name. He subsequently used these two licences to present to employers in order to continue working as a lorry driver.

He was arrested for fraud by misrepresentation because he was being paid for employment as a lorry driver, when he was disqualified from driving.

The DWP established that Twomey had earned more than £18,000 during a nine-month period, while at the same time fraudulently claiming £4,000 in benefits awarded to him because he stated he was unfit to work due to ill health.

PC Stephen Doyle, who led the police investigation, said: “Once we started to investigate Twomey, it quickly became apparent how many offences he had committed.

“He had been fraudulently obtaining payments for employment when he would not have been employed by those companies had they known he was disqualified.

“Twomey scammed the people who employed him. By working together with the DWP, we have not only been able to bring someone to justice who was driving while disqualified and had no insurance but have been able to show how he was taking payment from work, while claiming benefit which could have been given to someone who deserved it.”

Twomey was sentenced to eight months imprisonment, which was suspended for 12 months. He was also given a 12-month supervision order.

First published at 12:02, Wednesday, 28 November 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk