Ex-mayor John Walker told to expect jail for fraud

Nov 3 2007

THE disgraced former Mayor of Sefton and his wife were warned yesterday they may be jailed for swindling the benefits system.

The warning was made by Judge Brian Lewis at Liverpool Crown Court after John Walker, 57, and his wife Catie, 48, were convicted of the second offence against them involving conspiring to defraud the Department of Work and Pensions out of £4,161 in income support benefits by failing to declare she was working for a taxi firm.

They were found guilty the previous day of a similar charge involving £32,871 in Disability Living Allowance.

Adjourning sentence until December 3, the judge told them: "The position is very serious and you should not read anything into the fact I am renewing your bail and ordering reports.

"The court will be considering all options including immediate custody."

When the jury of seven women and five men returned the second verdict, again by a 10-2 majority, the couple's teenage daughter, Emma, broke down in tears in the public gallery. Her 48-year-old mother turned round briefly to mouth words of comfort to her.

The final verdict on the couple. who live at Farmer Place, Bootle, came at the end of a seven-week trial at and followed more than five days’ deliberations.

The trial heard that between 1999 and 2005 they obtained more than £37,000 of DLA plus a further £10,000 in income support payments.

While telling the Benefit Agency he had speech problems and was unable to walk, bathe and get dressed without help from his wife, Walker was campaigning for election to his local authority. He also walked unaided from Liverpool FC to a city centre pub for after-match drinks. The Labour councillor eventually rose to the lofty heights of mayor but was caught out when fraud inspectors filmed him attending lengthy civic functions and making political speeches.

Walker initially fell ill in 1998, suffering ME, commonly known as chronic fatigue syndrome, and fibromyalgia, which causes muscle fatigue.

The prosecution said he was able to resume a normal life after his initial sickness.

Witnesses queued up to testify > > >