Former mayor 'embellished and lied to obtain benefits'

Sep 18 2007 by Mike Hornby, Liverpool Daily Post

A MAYOR and his wife embellished the truth and lied in order to obtain state benefits, Liverpool crown court heard today.

John Walker, 57, the former mayor of Sefton, Merseyside, and his wife Catie, 49, each face three charges of conspiring to fraudulently obtain disability living allowance and income support between 1999 and 2005.

The charges relate to the couple’s failure to declare Mr Walker’s £14,531 a year expenses as councillor and mayor, and Catie Walker’s £70-100 a week job as a taxi escort for disabled children. The couple deny the charges.

Teresa Loftus, prosecuting at Liverpool Crown Court, told the jury the couple, from Bootle, had on three occasions completed benefits applications which claimed Mr Walker suffered several disabilities and needed round-the-clock care from his wife.

She said this took place as Mr Walker became increasingly involved in community activities becoming firstly a councillor and then the ceremonial mayor of Sefton.

She said: "He said he was unable to walk more than 20-25 yards without severe pain and discomfort. He said he needed assistance when outdoors as he suffered from dizziness and blackouts, frequently falling or stumbling.

"He said he was unable to cook or prepare a meal and due to poor memory and concentration forgets to take his medication.

"He said word selection and speaking was a problem. He said his condition remained and there had been no improvements and in some cases got worse.

"These forms were submitted while John Walker was involved in community groups and worked as a governor at a local school."

Among the evidence to be shown to the jury will be surveillance videos of Mr Walker engaged in mayoral activities which saw him often standing for long lengths of time at public events, and on one occasion running from a stage to help a cadet who had tripped over during a service.

Other surveillance videos show him making speeches and engaged in political campaigning.

She said: "The evidence shows the benefits claims were at best dishonestly embellished and at worst a complete tissue of lies."

Miss Loftus added: "The period of surveillance, between November and December 2005, shows just how mobile and able bodied John Walker really is and at no stage does he require care from his wife.

"He is seen walking with no sign of difficulty, getting into and out of the mayoral car without help or assistance. He attended many mayoral functions, often standing for 30-minutes or more.

"He gave impressive, articulate and often lengthy public speeches showing no sign of difficulty.

"During a procession at Southport Town Hall he is seen climbing up and down the steps, he stood during the service for a considerable period of time and he even ran to help a young female cadet who had fallen over.

"His movement, his commitment, his public speaking are all at odds with his statements to the Department for Work and Pensions."

The Jury was told that during a search of the couple’s first floor maisonette in Orrell Park, Bootle, three diaries were found which chronicle John Walker’s activities and Catie Walker’s employment.

Miss Loftus said: "It shows his passion for the local football team, Liverpool FC, and how he regularly attended football games followed by a drinking session in the city centre, to which he walked from Anfield without the aid of Catie, who wasn’t even there.

"In their home there were no alterations for a person who has to use a wheelchair.

"In the cluttered bedroom were piles of books leaving little space for an able bodied person to walk let alone somebody who needs a wheelchair.

"In the kitchen there was no sign of the specialist cutlery which he said he needed to use.

"The specialist crutches, he said he needed, were found outside in a shed."

The court heard that Walker suffered from ME, often known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Fibromyalgia, an illness which causes muscle spasms and fatigue.

She added: "Undoubtedly he does suffer from a medical condition and at some time he was entitled to disability living allowance.

"In 1999 it fluctuated in a positive way and he should have told the Department. It may well be that some days he was entitled to DLA but those days were the exception not the rule.

"They didn’t tell the truth because they didn’t want to lose out on their significant DLA payments.

"This couple knew the consequences would be end of their income support."

(proceeding)

* See tomorrow’s Daily Post for more on this story.