Oakham and Rutland Local News

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Thursday, August 21, 2014

Brian Griffin, Labour councillor and Former Eastwood Mayor, Said he could not walk far, found guilty of £13,000 benefit fraud

 Brian Griffin, Labour councillor and Former Eastwood Mayor, Said he could not walk far, found guilty of £13,000 benefit fraud.

He pocketed £13,000 in benefits after claiming he could only walk 10 metres was caught marching over a MILE during a Remembrance Day parade.

Brian Griffin is still currently a serving Labour councillor representing Eastwood Town Council's southern ward.

He said he had not yet decided whether or not to step down from the authority.

He added: "I still believe I did nothing to deliberately mislead the DWP, I suffered my injury 17 years ago for which I still receive treatment for today.

"I'm a honest and proud man and have always been truthful. I put on my form that my condition varied day to day and the Remembrance parade was one of my better days.

"I did not intend to deliberately deceive anybody - it's not like I'm a paedophile, robber or a drug dealer.

"The judgement just went against me and I have not yet made a decision on my future role at the council."

Griffin, who was mayor of Eastwood twice, in 2010/11 and 2012/13, had claimed DWP investigators caught him "on a good day" when he they filmed him.

Today he was handed an eight-week jail term, suspended for six months, he was also ordered to pay £300 costs.

District Judge Morris Cooper told Griffin the public would have been 'concerned' about the crime given his standing in the community.