News

A Hawkinge Parish councillor has been given a two year conditional discharge for benefit fraud and ordered to pay £1,000 towards the court costs by Folkestone Magistrates.

Peter Smith, who currently serves on the parish council was a former district councillor and Chairman of Shepway District Council.

In July, he was found guilty of two charges of making claims for housing and council tax benefit between June and September 2006, which he knew to be false.

The case involved council members allowances, which the benefits department at Shepway District Council considered to be income and needed to be declared when making claims for housing and council tax benefit.

Magistrates told Smith they believed he had made a "grave misjudgement" rather than purposely obtaining money for his own benefit.

In sentencing they said they took his previous good character, his community work and the low risk of him re-offending into account.

Mr Smith will have to repay the money he was overpaid.