AN oven repair man who failed to disclose he had a job - which meant his wife got £57,000 in benefits to which she was not entitled has been spared jail – but was warned it was not a victimless crime.

Gary Poole deceived his wife about where he was going for more than five years, leaving the home to go to work fixing ovens.

The deception meant his wife got tens of thousands in benefits which she was not entitled to.

Poole appeared at Bolton Crown Court yesterday to be sentenced for two offences of benefit fraud.

As prosecutors accepted his wife had no knowledge of what he was up to she faced no action as a result.

Prosecutor Kyra Badman said: “There are two offences to reflect the fact that there are two types of benefits, employment support allowance (ESA) and housing benefit.

“His partner was receiving ESA from November 2012 to February 2019 and housing benefit from March 2015 to February 2019.

“He started working in repair services for an oven chain.

“His partner did not know about the income.

“For housing benefit the total loss to Wigan Council was just over £5,000, at £5,163.

“For ESA the total loss to the DWP was just under £52,000 at £51,917.”

Defence counsel Nick Ross said his client had no previous convictions at the age of 60.

Judge Ciaran Rankin said: “I have said before, this type of offending which you have admitted to is not a victimless time.

“The next time you or one of your friends calls on the police and no-one is available is it in part because of offending like this.

“You have stolen from the state which society relies no to provide services like the fire service and nurses. You were in the unusual case of leaving the house dressed for work pretending you were not going to work.

“You pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and have been of hitherto good character.”

He suspended a 12-month sentence on Poole, of Bow Street, and ordered him to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work. He will return to court in March for a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing.