A BENEFITS fraudster conned the taxpayer out of more than £35,000 after falsely declaring that his partner – who was working as a carer – was unemployed.

Adrian Preston, 53, Caerleon Road, Llanfrechfa, Cwmbran, swindled the state after making bogus Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Torfaen council housing benefit claims.

Laurence Jones, prosecuting, told Cardiff Crown Court how the defendant carried on the ruse for nearly five years between 2014 and 2018.

He falsely claimed £15,917.78 in ESA and tricked Torfaen council out of £19,230.88 after he strung them along by saying his partner was out of work.

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Preston failed to notify both the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and the council when his partner Simon Harris started jobs in the care industry.

Mr Jones said: “The defendant was acutely aware of his responsibility to tell the agencies.”

Preston pleaded guilty to two counts of benefit fraud.

Mr Jones told the court that the defendant was a man of previous good character with no previous convictions or cautions recorded against him.

He added: “He made admissions on November 26, 2018 and said his partner had always worked.

“The defendant said it was his responsibility. He said he was entirely responsible for the household finances and it was his mistake alone.

“He said he couldn’t provide an explanation.”

Carl Harrison, mitigating, said his client was repaying the money he fraudulently obtained to both complainants.

Preston was handing over £200 every month to Torfaen council and deductions were being made to the DWP.

The court heard how the defendant suffers from a medical condition and walks with a stick.

Judge Daniel Williams jailed Preston for 18 weeks, suspended for 12 months, and ordered him to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work.

The defendant must also pay a victim surcharge of £80.