A MAN accused of dishonestly claiming more than £3,000 in benefits has been acquitted.

Paul Hartley, 50, of New Lane Terrace, Farnley Tyas, applied for Job Seeker’s Allowance (JSA), housing benefit and council tax benefit after falling on hard times.

But when he found a new job and notified the Job Centre, he assumed they would inform Kirklees Council and his entitlement to the extra benefits would cease.

However, he continued to be paid a total of £3,334.93 in benefits from March 8, 2009 until October 2010.

But Mr Hartley was only charged with dishonesty over failing to declare a change in circumstances to Kirklees Council, knowing it may affect his entitlement to benefit. And magistrates found the hard worker was not acting dishonestly in his actions.

Calderdale magistrates heard yesterday how Mr Hartley was “a man of integrity”. Until 2006 he ran a motorcycle business which went into administration after he had an accident. Mr Hartley paid the creditors out of his own pocket and sought other employment.