A BENEFIT fraudster from Pocklington has been punished after receiving almost £19,000 he was not entitled to.

Robert McKenzie, 65, of Yapham Road, appeared before York magistrates and admitted making false statements so he could claim housing and council tax benefit and pension credits, which led to him pocketing £18,889.38 between October 2008 and last July.

An investigation by East Riding of Yorkshire Council and the Department for Work and Pensions found McKenzie had failed to declare he had been working during this time.

He was given a 12-month community punishment order, including 260 hours of unpaid work, and ordered to pay £85 costs, as well as repaying the money he fraudulently received.