Michael Tindill, 43, (pictured outside court) swindled £53,000 in benefits by claiming he was barely able to walk, but was caught out when he was filmed working as a tyre fitter
A benefits cheat who stole £53,000 from the taxpayer by claiming he was barely able to walk was caught out after being filmed working as a tyre fitter.
Michael Tindill, 43, from Cannock in Staffordshire, said he could not hold down a job because he was ‘incapacitated’ by severe mobility problems.
But he was spotted rolling, lifting and carrying out heavy tyres around a busy workshop.
At one point he was even captured carrying four tyres at once and then bending over to put them down.
It later emerged that he had been running a seven-year long swindle, by working at three different garages, including a Kwik Fit, between 2008 and 2012.
The short clip, filmed by undercover investigators in 2015, shows the scheming fraudster moving around with ease and showing no signs of distress.
As well as the £53,000 in disability living allowance he raked in, Tindill also failed to declare earnings from his job to the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP).
Michael Tindill (pictured) was filmed working at a branch of Mr Tyre, lifting and moving heavy tyres when he claimed he was virtually unable to walk due to a debilitating injury
The DWP began investigations when they were alerted by HM Revenue and Customs that Tindill was registered as being in full time employment.
They discovered that he had worked for Kwik Fit between 2008 and 2012, Formula One Autocentres from December 2012 to July 2013, and Mr Tyre from May 2014.
The DWP visited Mr Tyre’s Stafford garage, where Tindill worked as an assistant manager, in February 2015, before gathering the damning footage a month later.
During an interview in July that year, he admitted that he had claimed benefits, but said that he had notified the DWP every time that he changed jobs.
However, he finally admitted to his offences during a hearing at Stafford Crown Court on November 23 last year.
Left, Tindill carries four heavy tyres around the workshop and right, he bends over to put them down
He will be sentenced tomorrow after admitting dishonestly failing to declare a change in circumstances.
Tindill was previously convicted of benefit fraud back in a separate case in 2001.
Dave Pedley, senior fraud manager for the DWP, said: ‘Mr Tindill claimed that he was completely incapacitated, and that he needed constant care.
‘He said that he had panic attacks when in busy public spaces, and that he was scared when approached by passers-by.
‘He claimed disabled living allowance, despite being in employment during that time.
Left, Tindill carries four tyres through the garage and right, he wheels one towards a car
‘He was receiving the higher rate for both mobility and care, which is reserved for people who require constant care and who, despite wanting to, are unable to work because of their condition.
‘Our investigations found that he was able to roll tyres, lift three at a time, bend over repeatedly, serve customers and fit tyres.
‘He was perfectly healthy – how many of us can lift three tyres on the same arm?
‘People need to understand that they can’t get away with benefit fraud. Evidently he thought that he could beat the system, and now it has come back to bite him.
‘The money that he has taken from the taxpayer should really be going to the people that truly need it, for the vulnerable.’