A REDDITCH man has been sent to prison for 56 days as part of Redditch Council's strategy to crack down on benefit fraudsters.

Mark Checkley, 33, from Winyates Centre, was sentenced last Wednesday following a joint operation between the council and social security fraud officers.

Checkley had continued to claim housing benefit, council tax benefit and incapacity benefit despite starting work in a factory in June last year.

The total loss to public funds amounted to nearly £2,000 and both authorities will start recovery action after Checkley has completed his custodial sentence.

The latest conviction comes just two weeks after a man had a community rehabilitation order imposed on him and a woman was given a 12 month conditional discharge for committing benefit fraud.

Anyone with suspicions that fraud is being committed can call the hotline on 534164 or contact the investigations department on 534010 or 534011.