A bricklayer has been put on probation for two years for a £1,057 benefit fraud.

Craig Philip Teare admitted failing to declare work he had been doing for a construction company while he was claiming benefits.

The 36-year-old also pleaded guilty to stealing £428-worth of fragrances from Boots chemist.

As well as the probation order, magistrates ordered Teare to pay the £1,057 and £428 in compensation, in addition to £200 prosecution costs.

He will pay all amounts at a rate of £50 per month.

We previously reported that the benefit fraud offences had been committed over a month in October and November 2021.

Teare was claiming incapacity benefit and income support, due to being medically signed off work.

However, information was received that he had been working for a construction company as a sub-contracted bricklayer and had failed to declare this.

This has resulted in him being overpaid £1,057.39 in benefits he was not entitled to.

The theft from Boots occurred on July 1 last year, when Teare stole a number of fragrances, valued at a total of £428.99.

Teare, who lives at Crossag Close, Ballasalla, was already subject to a two-year suspended sentence, imposed in January 2022, for trying to smuggle £290 worth of cocaine to the island, hidden up his bum.

He was also sentenced to 120 hours community service in June 2021 for fraud, after he scammed a TT fan out of £1,210 by offering bogus accommodation.

He has not completed the community service hours yet.

Magistrates adjourned the case previously to allow Teare to complete more hours before sentencing for this latest offence.

On Thursday (March 16), the court heard that he had since completed more hours but still has 69 hours outstanding.

A probation report said that Teare was working with the drug and alcohol team and that continued supervision going forward would be of benefit to him.

Defence advocate Paul Rodgers asked magistrates to follow the recommendation of the report and said that it had now been eight months since the benefit fraud offences, and that those had been committed over a short period of time.

‘The work done with probation is essential in reducing his risk of reoffending,’ said the advocate.

‘He has shown he is capable of turning his life around.’

Mr Rodgers said that a custodial sentence would be devastating for his client’s child.

Magistrates ordered that the new two-year probation order run concurrently with previous orders, which will continue, meaning that Teare will now be supervised for a longer period.