A Pensioner, Who Is 'To Sick To Feed Him Self', Was Filmed Playing Golf.

Albert Davies, a pensioner who claimed £30,000 in mobility benefits because he was "too sick to feed himself", was filmed playing an 18 hole round of golf.

Davies, 68, claimed the highest level of Disability Living Allowance for five years.

He had stated he needed a walking stick, could not get in and out of the shower unaided, and that his wife even had to cut up his food.Yet benefit fraud investigators later filmed him playing golf on a number of occasions at Lea Marston Golf Club, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands.

Recorder Benjamin Nicholls, sitting at Stafford Crown Court, yesterday described the scam as a "deliberate swindling of the benefits system".He sentenced Davies, of Stephens Road, Walmley, Sutton Coldfield, to a ten-week jail sentence, suspended for 18 months. The pensioner was also made subject to an electronically monitored curfew for three months.

Recorder Nicholls said he had only "just" been persuaded not to impose an immediate jail sentence.He added: "He cheated the taxpayer, he cheated those who make genuine claims... It was thoroughly dishonest."You have disgraced yourself, you have brought shame on your family."Davies had pleaded guilty to dishonestly failing to give prompt notification of a change of circumstances for benefit purposes and to dishonestly making a false representation for benefit purposes.

Trevor Meegan, prosecuting, told the court the OAP had initially made a genuine claim for Disability Living Allowance in 2004, as he suffered from rheumatoid arthritis.But in 2010 Davies was secretly recorded carrying his clubs, changing his shoes and playing golf.Mr Meegan said once Davies had completed the nine-hole course without a break he would "go around again".The pensioner was charged with falsely claiming disability allowance for five years, claiming a total of GBP29,705.25."The victim in this case is the taxpayer," said Mr Meegan. "These crimes are very easy to commit and difficult to detect."

Recorder Nicholls said: "It must have been as plain as a pikestaff being able to do all of these things on the golf course that you were in no way entitled to the highest level of disability living allowance."Darren Whitehead, defending, said Davies had received a "revolutionary" drug in 2005 which helped ease his symptoms.He described him as a man of previous good character who for most of his life had "led by good example".Mr Whitehead added Davies felt "shame" for what he had done.