Comment: Satisfying to see justice done for tax-payers

Jun 7 2008 Liverpool Daily Post

THERE’S something very satisfying about benefits cheats who get caught out. Indeed, it is very hard to think of a single reason why anyone should today feel sorry for Robert Murt as he begins an 18-month jail sentence for fraud.

Benefit cheats are so often depicted in television programmes as amiable tricksters who ease their way through life causing no harm.

Yet the reality is they are swindling tax-payers money; these cheats sit back and profit from the labours of those who get up and head to a workplace every morning to ensure their families are provided for.

Robert Murt illegally pocketed almost £90,000 in benefits over 11 years. He pretended to be almost unable to walk and conned people whose only interest was ensuring he was fully claiming the benefits his infirmities entitled him to, while actually carrying out driving jobs.

Murt was eventually outed as a fraudster after investigators were alerted through an anonymous tip.

Now that he has been exposed as a shameless liar – a fit and healthy man who was able to play five-a-side football and hold down a full-time job – the harsh realities of his crime have caught up with him.

Murt admitted five counts of false accounting at Liverpool Crown Court and asked Judge Mark Brown to take a further 526 similar offences into account.

Possibly he expected to receive a slap on the wrist if caught, and have to repay his illegally-obtained gains. If so, then today is proving a fairly sobering experience for him. Hopefully he will have plenty of time to reflect on his actions.

But there are many people who do honestly need state help to support themselves and their families.

Anyone who is genuinely unable to work – whose worries about their financial security are compounded by the pain and discomfort they experience on a daily basis – will be disgusted that this liar got away with it for so long.