Trial for Ballaugh man accused of benefit fraud

62-year-old allegedly overpaid more than £10K

A Ballaugh man will stand trial after being accused of claiming more than £10,000 in benefits he wasn’t entitled to.

Richard Needham, of The Curraghs, appeared at Douglas Courthouse.

The 62-year-old denied four offences of making false representations to obtain benefits between March 2019 and June 2023.

A pre-trial review will take place on 23 April; he’s been bailed until that date.

Update: Mr Needham will be sentenced on 8 October 2024. 

Update: Needham was handed a 20-week custodial sentence suspended for two years and two-year suspended sentence supervision order.