Fraudster Albert Gelardi was warned he could go to jail after being found guilty of dishonestly claiming £4,000 housing benefitfrom the council.

Oxford Crown Court heard Gelardi was living at his friend Tim Mitchella friend's house in Park Street, Thame, after being made redundant from his job as an IT manager in 1995.

He was illegally claiming income support and typed out the letters in his friend's name to go with the application form for housing benefit. He admitted forgery and sending the letters to South Oxfordshire District Council but denied dishonestly obtaining £4,439.96 by deception.

Jonathan Coode, prosecuting, said Gelardi was behaving dishonestly because he was not paying rent to anybody.

The jury took only 15 minutes to reach their unanimous guilty verdict. Gelardi showed no emotion as it was read out.

Mr Coode said Gelardi, 50, now living in Cherry Hinton, Cambridgeshire, was jailed for two-and-a-half years in 1992 for obtaining property by deception and using a false instrument.

David Taylor, defending, said: "Clearly the defendant has done it again and as such, whatever mitigation I put, he's looking at another term of imprisonment." He said Gelardi wanted to pay the money back.

Judge Anthony King released Gelardi on bail on condition he lives at his Cambridgeshire address, but warned him this did not mean he would escape jail.

Judge King also added that repaying the money would not excuse Gelardi's behaviour.

He said: "This is a second offence of a similar kind. I do not want the impression to be given that the defendant can buy himself out of the situation."

Commenting on the case, council finance spokesman Paul Howden said: "South Oxfordshire District Council is committed to preventing and detecting benefit fraud and where we do identify it, cheats will be punished.

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