Rund Abdelfatah
By James Bryce
A BENEFIT cheat has been sentenced to nine months in prison after renting out his Spanish villa to holidaymakers while claiming income support back home.
Ronald Bunce charged up to €500 per week for the property, complete with swimming pool, in the Mazarron area of Murcia.
He had bought the villa, as well as a €315,000 property in the UK after selling his late mother’s home in 2007 for €440,000.
However he failed to declare the money.
Bunce continued to claim income support and housing and council tax benefit until investigators were alerted by an anonymous tip-off.
“The vast majority of people who claim benefits do so honestly and are sick and tired of putting up with the small minority who do not,” said a spokesman for the Department for Work and Pensions.
Benefit fraud abroad is estimated to cost UK taxpayers €54 million per year, with Spain one of the top destinations for benefit thieves.
Email newsdesk@theolivepress.es or call the benefit fraud hotline on 900 554 440 to report benefit cheats.
No mention of total confiscation of all assets and 9 months in prison at a cost of £3800 per week for the mugs that pay taxes.
There’s plenty more around here waiting to be caught out including the ones who drive back to UK every fortnight loaded with cigarettes and cheap alcohol and pick up their UB40 whilst there.