A Douglas couple have been handed a suspended sentence and community service between them after admitting benefit fraud worth £9,000.

Michael James Thomas Smith, aged 31, was sentenced to 100 hours’ community service while Mia Kneale, aged 24, was sentenced to 12 weeks’ custody, suspended for two years.

The offences came to light when the couple, who live in Clarke Street, appeared in the Isle of Man Examiner in October last year (see link to story below).

They had been claiming benefits based on living apart but were actually living together.

Smith was overpaid £1,772 while Kneale received an overpayment of £7,717.

Both were claiming income support benefit with Kneale claiming that she lived alone and Smith claiming he lived in Horseshoe Avenue.

Her claim was not fraudulent from the outset but his was.

The Clarke Street address was put under surveillance and a man believed to be Smith was seen leaving the property early in the morning several times.

Manx Gas records also showed they were paying a joint bill at the address.

The couple came to the attention of the authorities after they appeared in the Examiner in a report about the condition of their rented property.

The sentencing was adjourned previously after the couple revealed plans to move to France to renovate a property there and Deputy High Bailiff Jayne Hughes asked for more information on the move.

In court on Tuesday, letters were provided from the owner of the French property confirming that the couple would be paid to renovate it.

Defending Kneale, advocate Kate Alexander said that, after a letter from her client’s GP had been receieved, no suitable community service work could be found for her.

Ms Alexander said that left only a financial penalty or custody, adding that there were grounds to suspend any custodial sentence, highlighting personal matters in the probation report.

The court heard Kneale had started paying back the money and now owed £7,417.94.

Smith was represented by James Peterson who said that his client would be able to return to employment on the island after the work in France.

Deputy High Bailiff Jayne Hughes made compensation orders for £1,772 for Smith and £7,417 for Kneale and ordered them both to pay £125 prosecution costs.

Kneale will repay her total at a rate of £20 per week and Smith will repay at a rate of £50 per week.