A benefits fraudster has been jailed after he hijacked 68 identities and fraudulently claimed almost £170,000 to fund his gambling habits.
James Stephen Barley used personal information which he had “harvested” on social media to submit 157 fake claims over two and a half years, Carlisle Crown Court was told.
The 37-year-old admitted three charges at an earlier hearing: fraud by false representation, making articles for fraud and possessing criminal property.
The “articles” were the documents which he used in his fraudulent claims, and the “criminal property” refers to the £169,045 in emergency Universal Credit payments which he secured from December 2018 to March 2021.
When approached by investigators from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), Barley said: “Whatever you think I’ve done, I admit it.”
He cooperated with the investigation, telling the authorities how he exploited the benefits system in order to receive emergency payments.
The court heard that he did this by generating 68 hijacked identities.
When questioned on how he got around not knowing the National Insurance numbers of the people whose identities he stole, he claimed: “I could talk my way out of a plastic bag.”
Carlisle Crown Court heard how James Stephen Barley used social media to ‘harvest’ the identities he used
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The investigation first began after one person who he was posing as complained to the DWP about a change to his benefits status.
As a result, Barley was arrested on February 8 last year.
The court heard how he used his local library to print off fraudulent documents to support his claims, including fake tenancy agreements.
The people whose identities he stole included former friends from school, people from his local area, and even a family member.
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Barley, a £700-a-week steel galvaniser was unrepresented in court, and addressed the judge from the dock himself.
He claimed there were “two sides” to him: one was a hard-working man who earned an honest living and the other a gambling addict.
Saying he was sorry for what he had done, the 37-year-old told the court his primary concern was looking after his two pet boxer dogs at his home in Ladyburn Street, Paisley, Renfrewshire.
He told Judge Michael Fanning: “I have a severe gambling addiction. It’s ruined my life. I need closure from this. I can’t sleep, I can’t think straight.
The investigation began after someone complained to the DWP about a change to his benefits status
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PA“My head is an absolute car crash. This 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.”
He added: “Whatever punishment is coming my way, I’ll take it.
“What I’ve done is wrong and I hate myself for it. Addiction is a killer. I lost everything. The people I defrauded – a lot of them were very good friends, even my brother.”
Judge Fanning accepted that Barley had acted out of a need to “feed a desperate addiction” and noted his previous good character.
He also described the method used as “unbelievably simple” as Barley only had to give the DWP a name, a date of birth and a previous address.
Barley was jailed for two and a half years, and Judge Fanning added that there was never any potential for a suspended sentence and there needed to be some form of deterrent.
He said: “The financial system of this country relies on people being honest.”
Barley is likely to be released after serving just 40 per cent of his sentence.