A HGV driver claimed over £19,000 he was not entitled to after returning to work following a heart attack.
Kirklees magistrates were told that Richard Wood received Employment and Support Allowance between July 2013 and September 2016.
Wood, of Pringle Rise in Denby Dale, started to claim the benefit after suffering a heart attack in May 2013.
But in July the same year the 58-year-old returned to work as a HGV driver on a full-time basis and he failed to tell the Department for Work and Pensions about this.
As a result of the fraud he was overpaid £19,222 in the benefit.
Prosecutor Alex Bozman said: “He accepted he knew this would affect his entitlement to benefit and that it was his responsibilty to notify the department of any work.”
Wood pleaded guilty to an offence of dishonestly failing to promptly notify a change of circumstances likely to affect his entitlement to ESA.
His solicitor Christopher Stables explained that he was not working at the moment due to his ill health.
He told magistrates that it is unlikely that Wood will return to work and he is currently in receipt of the Universal Credit benefit.
Mr Stables explained: “He’s always been a worker, he’s not a man who’s happy to sit back and claim benefits.
“He took the view that he wanted to return to work as soon as possible and returned on an ad hoc basis doing the odd day here and there.
“He did make some enquiries with the department about what his entitlement would be and was advised that as long as it was less than 16 hours it would not be affected.
“As time went by and his health improved he was offered more and more work and didn’t keep the benefits agency involved.
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“This isn’t the type of case that was fraudulent from the outset. He didn’t have a great knowledge of the benefits system.
“He’s a man of almost 60 who has now got a criminal conviction which could send him to prison.
“That’s not lost on him and he’s fearful of going to custody.”
Mr Stables added that the fraudulently obtained benefits are now being repaid to the DWP.
Magistrates sentenced Wood to 18 weeks in prison, suspended for two years.
He will have to comply with an electronically-monitored curfew between the hours of 7pm and 7am for six weeks.
Wood was told to pay £85 court costs and £115 victim surcharge.
