A benefits cheat who claimed he was so weak he couldn’t get dressed on his own or climb out of the bath unassisted was caught working a demanding 40-hour week that included ‘heavy lifting’ at a holiday park.

Graham Gannon, 63, was allowed to claim Personal Independent Payments after declaring that he suffered from rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis which severely limited his mobility.

But an anonymous tip-off led Department for Work and Pensions investigators to a Norfolk holiday park where he worked as a maintenance man.

Physically demanding jobs he carried out on a regular basis included hedgerow and fence maintenance, landscaping, painting, unblocking toilets, drainage work and litter picking.

Some of his tasks involved climbing up ladders.

Gannon has now been given a 20-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, after admitted three offences.

Great Yarmouth Magistrates Court heard he fraudulently claimed more than £26,000 in PIP payments over four years.

Prosecutor Wendy Davidson said he had started claiming PIP after stating he struggled to grip things.

But he stopped receiving the injections to treat his conditions and failed to declare an improvement in his condition.

Instead, he told the DWP his abilities remained severely limited.

‘He failed to disclose that he had returned to work full time,’ Ms Davidson said.

‘He said he thought he was allowed to work and claim and said that he had a medical condition.

‘He worked on a caravan site and would do any heavy lifting on a good day.’

The defendant, who lives on a boat at a marina in Lowestoft, was interviewed under caution where he admitted failing to declare he had started a labour-intensive job.

The court heard he benefited to the tune of £26,324 between February 2019 and March 2023.

Gannon pleaded guilty to three charges in court. These included failing to notify the DWP of a change of circumstances and that his physical capabilities had improved.

He also admitted failing to indicate a lack of capability on PIP review forms on January 20, 2020, and January 18, 2022, when he was living in Beccles, which was no true.

Lisa Dade, defending, said: ‘Mr Gannon accepts full responsibility for his offending and expresses genuine remorse.

‘This is a case of misunderstanding and it was not fraudulent from the outset.

‘He is a gentleman of 63 years of age, of good character, and this offending is wholly out of character.’

Chairman of the Bench Geoffrey Dyett said: ‘It is really two extremes that we are dealing with to a certain extent.

‘You are a gentleman in your mid-60s and have gone through your life with an unblemished record with regards to crime and yet here we have an offence.

‘You currently owe £26,324.65 and this has been accumulated over several years of receiving finances that you weren't due to receive.

‘Perhaps you thought you could still claim benefits while you were in work. The benefits you were claiming were not legal for you at the time.’

Gannon was told he must also pay a victim surcharge of £154 and prosecution costs of £85.

He will also receive a Loss of Benefit Penalty for a minimum of 13 weeks if he remains eligible for certain benefits.

Following the case, Minister for Transformation Andrew Western said: ‘The message is clear - don't think you can steal from hardworking taxpayers.

‘Whatever your reasons for committing benefit fraud, know that our investigators are wise to every trick in the book and we will find you.

‘And if you know somebody is fleecing the system, report it.’