\n James Stephen Barley, 37, submitted 157 fraudulent claims over two and a half years by using personal information he \u201charvested\u201d from social media sites such as Facebook, Carlisle Crown Court heard.\n<\/p>\n
\n At an earlier hearing, Barley admitted three charges: fraud by false representation, making articles for fraud \u2013 the documents which he used in his claims; and possessing criminal property.\n<\/p>\n
\n This was the \u00a3169,045 in emergency Universal Credit payments he secured.\n<\/p>\n
\n The defendant carried out the fraud between December 2018 and March 2021. When eventually confronted by investigators from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), he said: \u201cWhatever you think I\u2019ve done, I admit it.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n He cooperated with the probe, explaining to investigators how he exploited the system for emergency payments.\n<\/p>\n
\n To do that, he generated 68 hijacked identifies, the court was told.\n<\/p>\n
\n When asked how he got round not knowing the National Insurance number of the people he posed as, he said: \u201cI could talk my way out of a plastic bag.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n The fraud unravelled, the court heard, after one of the people whose identity he used complained to the DWP about a change to his benefits status. Barley was arrested on February 8 last year.\n<\/p>\n
\n He confirmed that the identities he used included former school friends, people from his local area, whose Facebook pages he had examined, and even a family member. He used the local library to print off fake documents.\n<\/p>\n
\n These included fake tenancy agreements to back up his claims.\n<\/p>\n
\n Because he was unrepresented, Barley, a \u00a3700 a week steel galvaniser, addressed the judge from the dock, saying there were \u201ctwo sides\u201d to his character: he was both a man who worked and earned a living honestly, and a gambling addict.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cI’m sorry for what I\u2019ve done,\u201d he said.\n<\/p>\n
\n His primary concern, he said, was the welfare of his two pet boxer dogs at his home in Ladyburn Street, Paisley, Renfrewshire.\n<\/p>\n
\n He told Judge Michael Fanning: \u201cI have a severe gambling addiction. It\u2019s ruined my life. I need closure from this. I can\u2019t sleep, I can\u2019t think straight.\n<\/p>\n
\n “My head is an absolute car crash.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cThis has to come off my back today so that I can start my life again. I have a good job, two dogs I adore, and I want to start my life again.\n<\/p>\n
\n “Whatever punishment is coming may, I\u2019ll take it.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cWhat I\u2019ve done is wrong and I hate myself for it. Addiction is a killer. I lost everything. The people I defrauded \u2013 a lot of them were very good friends, even my brother.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n Judge Fanning noted Barley\u2019s previous good character and that he had acted from a need to \u201cfeed a desperate addiction.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n But he had stolen \u00a3169,000 from the state, using real people\u2019s identities to make 157 fraudulent benefit claims.\n<\/p>\n
\n Describing the method of fraud as \u201cunbelievably simple,\u201d the judge noted that the claims required Barley to supply the DWP with only three basic pieces of information: a name, a date of birth, and a previous address.\n<\/p>\n
\n The clear vulnerability of the system did not, however, excuse Barley\u2019s actions as he systematically exploited the weakness in the claims process.\n<\/p>\n
\n Jailing Barley for two and a half years, the judge said there was never a prospect that any jail term \u2013 even if low enough to be suspended – would have been suspended for such offending.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cThe financial system of this country relies on people being honest,\u201d said the judge, concluding that there had to be a deterrent sentence. \u00a0The defendant is likely to be released after serving 40 per cent of his sentence.\n<\/p>\n