Brighton benefits fraudster jailed

A Brighton man has been sentenced to nine months in prison for benefit fraud.

Mark Kinsey, of Arundel Place in Kemp Town, admitted illegally claiming more than £81,000.

He was jailed at Brighton Magistrates’ Court yesterday (Friday 27 April) after the bench heard that he had fraudulently claimed

• £46,941 in housing benefit from Brighton and Hove City Council
• £5,730 in council tax benefit overpayments
• £28,332 in overpayments from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

The council and the DWP jointly brought the case after the National Fraud Initiative found that Kinsey had held a mobile street trading licence since 208.

Council investigators checked bank records and worked with staff from other departments including environmental health and licensing to obtain evidence.

They found that Mr Kinsey had a mobile food van which traded under the name of “Posh Nosh”.

Bank statements showed large amounts of money flowing in and out of his bank account and copies of his liability insurance showed a business turnover of £30,000 a year.

A council spokesman said: “The message for anyone thinking of stealing benefits from taxpayers is clear – we will track you down and you could well end up facing prison.”

The council said that it would be taking action to recover the full amount of housing and council tax benefit fraudulently claimed by Kinsey.