Wirral Show chief in fraud inquiry

Mar 12 2008 by Liam Murphy, Liverpool Daily Post

Alan Robinson

THE former chairman of the Wirral Show – one of the biggest outdoor events in Merseyside – is to stand trial accused of benefits fraud and perverting the course of justice.

Alan Robinson, a former Conservative councillor in Liscard, is accused of taking benefits totalling £34,212 over an eight-year period.

He is alleged to have had assets which exceeded Department of Work and Pensions limits while the claims were made.

He denies the accusations.

Mr Robinson, who led the committee which organises the Wirral Show for 10 years, also faces a charge of perverting the course of justice by writing to the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) who had investigated him claiming the extra assets they claimed he had was money being held by him for the Wirral Show.

He is due to stand trial in May at Liverpool Crown Court and has pleaded not guilty to two charges under social security legislation and one of perverting the course of public justice.

But last night, Mr Robinson insisted he was innocent and claimed the DWP prosecution was “vindictive”.

The Wirral Show, held on New Brighton seafront each July, attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors and raises cash for local charities.

There is no suggestion that any Wirral Show money was involved in the allegations against its former chairman. The show is organised by the Rotary, Roundtable and Lions clubs of Wallasey and is said to cost a six-figure sum to organise, with cash left over used to support charities in the area.

Mr Robinson stepped down from his role as chairman of the show just over a year ago, but last night insisted he expected to be found not guilty. From his home on Leasowe Road, Wallasey, Mr Robinson said: “What I am accused of is knowingly allowing my wife to claim income support while I had more than the admitted capital.”

But he said the money in question was to be used by him for running the Wirral Show, which he said cost him personally around £2,000 a year. He added: “What I said to them was the money I had was set aside for me to run the Wirral Show.”

He said he had been wrongly advised by the DWP, particularly when he turned 60 in 2003, and that the case was “placing a lot of strain on my family” and his wife had become ill.

liammurphy