Smiths have sentence deferred

A MAN from Lerwick who admitted obtaining benefits worth over £10,000 which he was not entitled to has had his sentence deferred until May.

John Smith, of Lovers Loan, pleaded guilty at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday to receiving employment and support allowance of £10,679.98 to which he was not entitled to on or between 22 March 2016 and 30 August 2017 at his home address.

He knowingly failed to give prompt notification to the Department of Work and Pensions that he became the unencumbered owner of three heritable properties with a total value of £340,000 and received rental income for two of the properties.

The 55 year old and Christopher Smith, also of Lovers Loan in Lerwick, also pleaded guilty to conducting themselves in a disorderly manner while acting together at the Market Cross in Lerwick on 2 May last year, and shouting, swearing, fighting with another and committing a breach of the peace.

Forty year old Christopher Smith also admitted possessing heroin at an address on Lerwick’s South Road on 13 August last year.

Sheriff Ian Cruickshank decided to obtain criminal justice social work reports before sentencing and deferred all matters until 9 May.