Seriously...I mean SERIOUSLY - what the hell is wrong with some benefit cheats??

[sp1814]

You know when you read about benefit cheats who claim unemployment benefits when they're working, or claim child benefit for on-existent kids...

But this?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/...d-lancashire-17367225

Actually made me feel physically ill. The stink must've been horrific!

[cathfromsaron]

should be longer, and what anbout the metal torture of the grandaughter? x

[Zeuhl]

She must have thought grandad was a right lazy bugg@

[sp1814]

I've just seen him of the news - I honestly think he may be a bit...challenged.

[B00]

From reading the article it does hint that the son also had a drinking problem As well as the dead guy) and was recovering from the death of a son through cot death. If he does have a drinking problem, that'll also explain (probably) why he continued to draw his dads benefits.

I think the guy's more to be pitied that anything else, no sane person does this do they?

[sunny-dave]

Normally I'm sceptical of the " no sane person .." used as a get-out-of-jail-free card, but in this case he really didn't look the full shilling ...

[B00]

I never said or implied it should be a get out of jail free card. But if he does get sentenced I think he really should receive help whilst he's in there.

[Zeuhl]

If he is jailed, will he be allowed to take his dad in with him?

[johnny37]

Im not sure prison is a deterrant but he has been jailed four months for not reporting the death and three years for benefits fraud. What concerns me is the enormous differences in sentences for benefits fraud. I can't recall one fo three years (out in 18 months) but there are many in the papers of just a few weeks or none at all.

[sunny-dave]

I was musing generally B00, rather than about your specific comments here - in this case without doubt he needs help.

[DTCwordfan]

Such a rotten story......

[joggybear]

Zeuhl-your comment has given me the giggles-sorry if in poor taste...
I agree with him needing help, but his daughter should get counselling if she hasn't already

[sp1814]

Zeuhl

Give yourself a slap on the wrist for that.

Yeah, and I agree - I hope the daughter receives some form of support during the next few months.

[rov1100]

Maybe he couldn't afford to pay for a funeral?

[andy-hughes]

Most of us tend to view the rest of the world's population as people who think and act as we do. It's a subconcious reaction to the world about us, and we all do it, which is why we are shocked when incidents like this crop up.

If we think about it - by definition, everyone on here has a degree of intelligence and ability, we have access to the Internet, and the ability to use a computer.

This puts us a world away from people such as this poor man, for whom life is series of things that 'happen' with very little concious thought or direction from him - and others like him.

For that reason, I feel only pity for him, and those connected with him, and appreciate my serious good fortune to be me, and not him.

[NOX]

I think 3 years is an absolutely excessive sentence to be honest, as Boo said no-one sane does that for a couple of grand do they? He's clearly in need of help rather than punishment, and sentencing her Dad to 3 years in the nick is hardly going to help he and his little girl rebuild their relationship either, which ought to have been paramount in any scenario.

[dotty.]

Blimey, that's just up the road from me, what a moron.

[HowardKennitby]

Nox

I think bandying the word 'sane' around is not helpful.
This man may well be in need of help, either for his alcoholism or his inherent intellectual deficiency, but it is not obvious that the best outcome for his daughter involves him; and I am aware that the state usually makes a very poor parent.

[joko]

its not like he is norman bates and thought his dad was still alive... he did it to collect money

admittedly hes probably sick in the head, probably a sociopath, but perfectly sane people have done worse things than this...

[NOX]

Niether being drunk or stupid makes you think it's okay to live with the rotting corpse of your dead father imho Howard, I think 'sane' is a perfectly acceptable word to 'bandy about' under such circumstances.
Do I think his child will benefit form his presence in her life- absolutely. Not because I think he's magically going to be transformed into father of the year, but because whatever their relationship is or is not like, the child needs information and closure on the matter- whisking her father away to prison and denying her the chance of that is imho a very wrong thing to do. At this point that child needs to be empowered to recover from a very difficult situation, the judge has now just further disempowered her. Bad move.