A father-of-two received almost £8,000 by claiming that he was jobless - when he was working for five recruitment agencies.

Arkan Ahmed admitted to three charges of benefit fraud dated between May 3, 2014, and June 7, 2015, when he appeared at Kirklees Magistrates’ Court.

During these dates he made claims for Employment and Support Allowance, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Housing Benefit but failed to disclose that he was working.

Prosecutor Vanessa Jones said that the overpayments made to 40-year-old.

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Ahmed, aided in court by a Kurdish interpreter, during this period totalled £7,867.

She told magistrates: “It came to light that Ahmed had been working for five different recruitment agencies during these periods.

“He said he’d tried to declare this on previous occasions but struggled due to the language barrier.”

Ahmed, of Halifax Old Road in Birkby, has started paying back the fraudulently obtained benefits to Kirklees Council and the Department for Work and Pensions.

His solicitor Rachel Sharpe said that the claims were not fraudulent from the outset.

She added: “He was registered with agencies and provided work by them which was sporadic.

“It was temporary and he didn’t know he had to inform the relevant agencies of the work.

A probation report was ordered on Ahmed, currently a Domino’s Pizza delivery driver, prior to his sentencing.