Partick benefits cheat ordered to repay £1

A benefits cheat who told the authorities who paid his £40,000 benefits he didn't like to travel but took 839 flights over nine years has been ordered to repay £1.

Sheriff Paul Crozier granted the confiscation order against 61 year-old Sahin Lim who had five undeclared bank accounts that hundreds of thousands of pounds went in and out of.

He benefited by having international flights paid for him to countries including Australia, America, Thailand and Ecuador.

The Department for Work and Pensions later learned that over the period of the charges, £426,625 went in to his undeclared accounts, and £423,436 left again.

Lim, from Partick, Glasgow, pleded guilty to receiving £16,491 income support, employment support allowance and jobseekers allowance, between April 1, 2005 and May 9, 2014.

And, between April 25, 2005 and April 21, 2015 to receiving a total of £23,508 for housing and council tax benefit, all without declaring a change of circumstances.

Earlier this year Lim was jailed for 22 months.

Yesterday (Wed) he appeared in court under Proceeds of Crime proceedings where the order was granted.

If Lim comes into more money in the future the Crown can make an application to take more from him.

Glasgow Sheriff Court earlier heard Lim had been receiving some means tested benefits since April 2002 and others since 2010.

When applying for them he claimed he had savings of around £200 between two bank accounts.

During the period of the charges, Lim completed 45 forms and applications where he failed to declare a change of circumstances.

He was spoken to on the phone in May 2010, June 2011, August 2012 and August 2013 and on each occasion claimed he had no savings, no other money in any other bank accounts and no other income.

Fiscal depute Richard Hill said: “During this period, Lim completed several medical assessment forms in relation to his employment support allowance claim.

“Within the forms the accused stated he would only go outdoors if he had an appointment, that he did not like going outdoors alone, spends the majority of his time in his house and does not like travelling.”

Mr Hill added: “Investigations were carried out and it was established he had five undeclared bank accounts.

“It was established that during the period of the libel £426,625 entered these accounts and £423,436 left the accounts.”

The court heard that the accounts received substantial payments of up to £14,900 but funds were either withdrawn or transferred within days.

Lim took 839 international flights during the period between April 2005 and May 2014.

He paid for a substantial number of flights but many were not in his name and he was not the named passenger.