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Former Norwich taxi driver claimed benefits
A former Norwich taxi driver claimed more than £3,600 in benefits while he was working, a court heard. Abdelkrim Bsikri, 40, from Northumberland Street, Norwich, admitted eight counts of benefit fraud between February 28, 2008 and April 8, 2009, when he appeared at Norwich Magistrates' Court yesterday.
Yvonne Blake, prosecuting for Norwich City Council, said Bsikri claimed for council tax, housing benefit and jobseekers allowance (JSA) while he was working for 1st Goldstar Taxis, based in Salhouse Road, Norwich. She said in total he had falsely claimed £3643.32, including £1495.48 in housing benefit, £1434.72 in JSA and £413.12 in council tax benefit.
In mitigation, Alistair Taunton said his client had spent most of his life working and had been a sous chef in London. He said he had moved to Norfolk four years ago because he suffered from an allergy to dust and hay fever and thought his condition may improve in the county.
Mr Taunton said: “He had initially made a proper claim for benefits. Apart from being a chef he was not qualified for anything else, so he tried a job taxi driving. But he was not sure if he would be able to cope with it, as he has an allergy and hay fever, so he did not tell the council that he was working.
“He accepts he did not disclose his earnings to the benefits authority, and fully admitted it at interview. He is currently paying back £30 a month to the city council.”
Chairman of the bench Bob Price said the aggravating features of the case were the number of offences and the value of the benefits claimed, but acknowledged that Bsikri's work had been intermittent at first.
He ordered that probation services should prepare a report on Bsikri to discover if he would be suitable for unpaid work. As he was suitable, Bsikri was handed a 12 months community order with the requirement to carry out 100 hours unpaid work in the community. He must also pay £150 costs.
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