A BENEFITS cheat has avoided going to jail after wrongly claiming more than £13,000.

Malcolm Glover, 65, failed to tell City of York Council he was receiving an ICI pension of £500 a month when he signed up for his housing and council tax benefits.

He claimed £13,509 between July 4, 2011 and May 22, 2015.

Jessica Strange, prosecuting on behalf of City of York Council, told York Crown Court the ex-serviceman, from Lindsey Avenue in Acomb, claimed £11,209 in housing benefit and £2,300 in council tax benefit over the four year period.

She said: "A form was filled in on July 1, 2011 for housing and council tax benefit but he failed to declare the fact he was receiving an occupational pension, he simply said he was receiving no further income.

"When he was interviewed he said he was aware he should have declared his pension and it was a dishonest act.

"At the time he was caring for his partner financially."

Glover has already paid back the incorrectly claimed council tax benefit and will continue to pay back the rest.

Judge Paul Batty QC handed him an eight month sentence, suspended for two years.

He added: "This was fraud from the outset and you perfectly well knew you had an ICI pension which brought you in £500 a month.

"This was public money and it was criminal."