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[SKINNER!]

A benefits cheat who said he could not walk more than 50 metres climbed Mount Kilimanjaro and won a triathlon.

Mark Lloyd, of Ynysybwl, Rhondda Cynon Taff, claimed £6,551.80 in Personal Independence Payments, saying a slipped disc in his back left him in agony.

At the same time, the 33-year-old competed in races, climbed Africa's highest peak, went wing-walking and skied in the Alps.

He was convicted of a fraud charge at Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates' Court.

Chris Evans, prosecuting, said: "He said he can only walk between 20 and 50 metres, can't walk on uneven ground, suffers pain when walking long distances and needs to sit down every 20 minutes."


He claimed the cash between October 2014 and February 2016, but the court was shown photos of Lloyd competing in the HSBC triathlon in September 2015 - a race he won in the adult taster category.

That month, he was also pictured posing with an African guide during his five-day trek to the peak of Kilimanjaro in Tanzania which involved walking between eight and 12 hours a day.

He also took part in the World Powerboat Championships in Malta.

[...]

Lloyd was medically discharged from the Army in 2011 after suffering an injury to his lower back while serving in Afghanistan.

In 2014, he applied for the Personal Independence Payment - up to £141 a week for those suffering long-term ill health to help cover costs of their care.

The following year, he applied for more money, saying his condition had worsened and he would be bedridden for a day if he walked more than 164 ft (50m).

Lloyd admitted filling in risk assessment forms to enter three triathlons without revealing he suffered ill health.

He said: "I didn't want any special treatment or assistance. I wanted to be self-sufficient and compete at the same level as everyone else.

"After competing I'm bedridden for a couple of days. But I wanted to push myself."

James Harris, defending, said Lloyd had not been dishonest - and had simply been able to push through the pain barrier because of his training in the army.

Mr Harris said: "He has the ability to push himself through pain. He is an ex serviceman. When climbing Mount Kilimanjaro he said he pushed himself and was in agony.

"But he did it anyway because his choices were either to sit in the house and let his mental health get the better of him or get out and get on with his life."

But District Judge Martin Brown called Lloyd's defence "nonsense" - saying he had deliberately lied to get "every penny he could".

Judge Brown said: "The very fact he lied about a number of factors shows he realised he was being dishonest. He blatantly lied about the severity of his condition.

"This is a man who believes as he is an ex paratrooper who was medically discharged from serving his country, he feels he deserves every penny he gets."

Lloyd, of Pontypridd, south Wales, was found guilty of fraud at Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates' Court.

The court heard his latest offence took place while he was serving a 20-week suspended prison sentence for common assault.

Source:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-40667991

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/201...rooper-claimed-weak-walk-50m-caught-climbing/


Pretty sad how he conducted these trips and expeditions for charity only to then screw the government for disability benefits that he didn't deserve/need; essentially robbing money from disabled people who need it more.

 

[Wvrs]

And yet we allow multinational corporations to cheat us out of billions in unpaid taxes every year. Ugh. Fuck this country.

 

[Wrestlemania]

Oh good another story about a fringe case that idiots can use to sustain their stupid opinions about the need for even more cuts to the benefits system.

 

[Grimm Fandango]

What a trooper.

 

[LordRaptor]

essentially robbing money from disabled people who need it more.

Only in as much as people focus on edge case "dole scroungers" to justify cutting social service funding across the board.
Him making a claim didn't stop someone else making a claim.

 

[ChubbyHuggs]

Runs triathlon and is bed ridden for days. Can walk for 12 hours a day with a fucking 40 pound sack and push through it for five. Please...

 

[Prime crotch]

And the welfare narrative of minorities exploiting the system will carry on. Only this bloke's a trooper, a good lad the rest are bloody immigrants.

 

[Theonik]

So does the fact this man used to be in the military make tories moral compass explode in confusion?

 

[Air Zombie Meat]

This will leave daily mail readers feeling conflicted.

 

[Prime crotch]

This will leave daily mail readers feeling conflicted.

No it won't. They will say something along the lines of "he was smart!" "he payed his dues!"

 

[Kill Your Masters]

Damn lazy immigran--wait...

 

[HazySaiyan]

Can't wait for the right-wing vultures to use this one case to justify cutting disability benefits and why everybody on benefits is a 'scrounger'.

 

[UpDownLeftRight]

Can't wait for the right-wing vultures to use this one case to justify cutting disability benefits and why everybody on benefits is a 'scrounger'.

Yeah as always. I'd like to point out this guy's a cunt too for giving them more ammunition yet again though. It's not even just the right wing either. I literally refuse to meet old school friends anymore in this trash country since it always ends in me getting shit for my OH being disabled and me her carer.

This country has a fucked up hate for the disabled if they happen to make a claim.

 

[Dougald]

Good job mate, you added more fuel to the fire that is allowing the government to treat the disabled like this

 

[Donos]

James Harris, defending, said Lloyd had not been dishonest - and had simply been able to push through the pain barrier because of his training in the army.

Mr Harris said: "He has the ability to push himself through pain. He is an ex serviceman. When climbing Mount Kilimanjaro he said he pushed himself and was in agony.

What a hero. Iron will.

He also drove that powerboat in agony or what?

 

[QuicheFontaine]

No it won't. They will say something along the lines of "he was smart!" "he payed his dues!"

Nah, other way round. The thieving outweighs the miltary stuff.

 

[Oriel]

No it won't. They will say something along the lines of "he was smart!" "he payed his dues!"

Moron Mail reader: "It's only right and fair we compensate OUR LADS!"

Moron Mail reader 2: "Bloody leftist judges!"

Moron Mail reader 3: "Get us OUT of Europe!"

 

[HStallion]

Oh good another story about a fringe case that idiots can use to sustain their stupid opinions about the need for even more cuts to the benefits system.

He's white and was in the military, they'll ignore it.

 

[danowat]

I don't quite understand why someone who was recieved benefits for an injury like this, would do those things?, do people just think 'fuck it, I can do whatever and won't get caught'?

Hopefully most people will realise that this case is an outlier and not an excuse to cut (more) benefits

 

[Theonik]

Can't wait for the right-wing vultures to use this one case to justify cutting disability benefits and why everybody on benefits is a 'scrounger'.

Pay are lads footballer wages.

 

[slider]

Fucking disgraceful.

And I'd hope that the focus is on his military background rather than as a stick to beat disability benefits claimants. I'm probably being stupid.

 

[QuicheFontaine]

I don't quite understand why someone who was recieved benefits for an injury like this, would do those things?, do people just think 'fuck it, I can do whatever and won't get caught'?

Well, he seems like kind of an idiot

 

[EGM1966]

For some reason the "i got better" line from Monty Python popped in my head when I read this.

Astonishing figure he swindled - got to be an extreme case surely?

That said while fraudulent claims do need to be tackled and minimised this is all too likely to be used to fuel taking it too far and impacting people with genuine claims.

Hopefully not of course.

Damn though: astonishing he managed to register for Triathlons while doing this.

 

[GeordieMark]

He's white and was in the military, they'll ignore it.

You're so full of it sometimes. Do you honestly think white brits who swindle benefits don't get treated with contempt when they are proven to have commited benefit fraud? It's frowned upon by almost everyone, and there has never been a belief that it's alright if you're white.

 

[Enter The 36 Chambers]

He's white and was in the military, they'll ignore it.

Uh this the UK not the US

 

[Theonik]

Astonishing figure he swindled - got to be an extreme case surely?

£6.9k over 6 years isn't all that much. It all adds up.

 

[GamingKaiju]

I hate the fact that his solicitor used the fact he was in the army and was able to push his pain barrier line.

What a load of shit most people can push through pain. I've had to do it my self to lose weight.

But it'll just give the government more ammo to hate on the disabled.

 

[QuicheFontaine]

Damn though: astonishing he managed to register for Triathlons while doing this.

There's no real medical check (at least not in 10k and half-marathons, I'm assuming it's the same for triathlons). It's just a self-certification to get them off the hook liability-wise. If this bellend collapsed doing the triathlon the organisers could have pointed to his form and said look there's a bit for him to tell us about medical stuff right here.

 

[Jo Shishido's Cheeks]

First picture looks super photoshopped, it's so distracting :lol

 

[GeordieMark]

£6.9k over 6 years isn't all that much. It all adds up.

I guy I know got sent down for swindling £200k. He ended up in the papers too. He got caught when a neighbour reported him.

 

[HStallion]

Uh this the UK not the US

I was fully aware of that.

 

[Mammoth Jones]

And yet we allow multinational corporations to cheat us out of billions in unpaid taxes every year. Ugh. Fuck this country.

This. 7k isn't shit.

 

[HazySaiyan]

Pay are lads footballer wages.

https://supportersnotcustomers.com/2013/09/08/soldiers-should-get-footballers-wages/

 

[NekoFever]

Nah, other way round. The thieving outweighs the miltary stuff.

Military outweighs crime. See Marine A.

 

[Plum]

Fuck this is terrible. I hope they cut the benefits I'd get if I become disabled so I can feel safe again.

 

[Oriel]

Military outweighs crime. See Marine A.

Or the many cases of war crimes committed by British troops on the streets of Northern Ireland during the Troubles. Brits don't like to admit it but the armed forces in the UK are staffed full of absolute cunts.

 

[Greddleok]

Wait, he's white, British AND was in the army.

This is going to rustle a few jimmies.

 

[DarthMasta]

Proof that the Brits are the toughest people in the world! On disability, excruciating pain, can't walk for more than a few meters (pardon my usage of non-imperial units), still climbs climbs Mount Kilimanjaro and wins a triathlon. Top notch! Absolutely cracking! Probably had tea while doing it too!