0:00:02 > 0:00:07The thing that makes this country really great is that we will give money to people who really need it.
0:00:07 > 0:00:12But the problem with that is that wherever you have money, there'll be people trying to steal it.
0:00:12 > 0:00:16Welcome to the world of Saints And Scroungers.
0:00:38 > 0:00:40Saints And Scroungers puts the spotlight
0:00:40 > 0:00:43on the benefit thieves who ruthlessly steal millions of pounds
0:00:43 > 0:00:45every year from the British taxpayer.
0:00:45 > 0:00:49And it highlights the plight of men and women who are too proud
0:00:49 > 0:00:52or simply don't know how to claim the benefits they deserve.
0:00:52 > 0:00:55The saints provide help, and the scroungers?
0:00:55 > 0:01:00They get tracked down by the fraud investigators who put an end to their devious scams.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03And coming up on today's programme...
0:01:03 > 0:01:09Time runs out for a crafty couple who scrounged £130,000 from the state.
0:01:09 > 0:01:12They weren't living on the breadline as they claimed to be.
0:01:12 > 0:01:17And a teenager desperate to get back to school is given a saintly helping hand.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20It's important to get Josh back into school,
0:01:20 > 0:01:23and the one thing that's really stopping him is the physical barrier.
0:01:26 > 0:01:31But first today, meet the Martins, a married couple from Essex.
0:01:31 > 0:01:36They're under suspicion for the biggest benefit fraud in Epping Council's entire history,
0:01:36 > 0:01:41ripping the taxpayer off to the tune of £130,000.
0:01:47 > 0:01:54Epping Forest District Council in Essex covers a large area, from the urban streets of northeast London
0:01:54 > 0:01:55to the villages of Hertfordshire.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58It's a well-heeled part of the country.
0:01:58 > 0:02:03But that doesn't stop benefit cheats abusing the system.
0:02:03 > 0:02:06Unfortunately some people are very greedy,
0:02:06 > 0:02:09and despite being in relatively wealthy positions,
0:02:09 > 0:02:14they'll want to try and get a little bit more of something for nothing.
0:02:14 > 0:02:19The investigations team will normally take on around 400 cases a year.
0:02:19 > 0:02:24The annual level of overpayments arising from fraud or error
0:02:24 > 0:02:29on claimants' behalf runs to about half a million pounds a year.
0:02:34 > 0:02:38Like a lot of people, I'm a bit of a workaholic.
0:02:38 > 0:02:41But I always try and keep my home and work life separate.
0:02:41 > 0:02:44But if you are a benefit fraud investigator, you have always got
0:02:44 > 0:02:48to be on duty because you never know when a cheat is going to pop up.
0:02:48 > 0:02:53And if it's your job to catch them, you've always got to be on guard, no matter what you're doing.
0:02:56 > 0:03:00An investigation into the Martins began when an off-duty fraud officer
0:03:00 > 0:03:03was house hunting and went to view a property in Epping.
0:03:03 > 0:03:08As fraud cases are very sensitive, this manager needs to remain anonymous.
0:03:08 > 0:03:13They had a look around the house as you normally would do. They asked a few questions
0:03:13 > 0:03:16and the estate agents said that the vendors were Bob and Sam Martin,
0:03:16 > 0:03:20who were on holiday in America, and they owned several other properties.
0:03:20 > 0:03:27When he returned to work, he happened to mention the house to his colleagues.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30The officer was talking about the viewing when somebody realised
0:03:30 > 0:03:35they'd visited Mr and Mrs Martin and they were on housing benefit.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37That rang alarm bells.
0:03:37 > 0:03:42If Mr and Mrs Martin did own the house, they shouldn't be claiming housing benefit.
0:03:42 > 0:03:47So the fraud team checked back through the council's housing records.
0:03:47 > 0:03:52Over a course of two years, they'd had three visits to clarify
0:03:52 > 0:03:57and confirm their circumstances, and on each occasion they'd said they were renting privately.
0:03:57 > 0:04:01They confirmed that the landlord was Portuguese
0:04:01 > 0:04:04and gave an address in Portugal for him.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07The couple were claiming housing benefit to cover
0:04:07 > 0:04:10their £1,000 a month rent, and council tax benefit, too.
0:04:10 > 0:04:16Not only that, but they said they were unemployed and were receiving income support as well.
0:04:16 > 0:04:20We had visited the Martins before and were suspicious of their claim
0:04:20 > 0:04:22because of the lifestyle they led.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25The house was well furnished and it didn't seem plausible.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28The investigation team decide to dig a little deeper.
0:04:31 > 0:04:36The council undertook a land registry search, and it revealed that the owner was a Portuguese guy.
0:04:36 > 0:04:41We then applied for the mortgage of the property.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44We had the claim form for Mr Martin and a mortgage application
0:04:44 > 0:04:49for the landlord of the property, and to us, the handwriting looked the same.
0:04:49 > 0:04:51So what was going on?
0:04:51 > 0:04:53This was confusing to say the least.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56The Martins seemed to be selling a property, yet claiming
0:04:56 > 0:04:59to the council it was owned by a Portuguese landlord.
0:04:59 > 0:05:01This just didn't add up.
0:05:01 > 0:05:07You could argue that the Portuguese landlord completed the mortgage form and the benefit application form.
0:05:07 > 0:05:13But you could also argue that Mr Martin could've done both, so the case had to be looked into further.
0:05:17 > 0:05:23The investigators suspected the Martins were the owners, but they couldn't prove it for sure.
0:05:23 > 0:05:29So they decided to check the estate agents' claim that the couple owned other properties, too.
0:05:29 > 0:05:35They ran credit checks and they discovered something very interesting about Samantha Martin.
0:05:35 > 0:05:39We did a credit search on Samantha Martin, and it highlighted
0:05:39 > 0:05:43that she had a mortgage at Chivers Road in Chingford.
0:05:43 > 0:05:50The mortgage was for £80,000 but the purchase price was 130,000.
0:05:50 > 0:05:57Samantha Martin had said on this application that the remainder was to come from personal funds.
0:05:57 > 0:06:04This is significant because it clearly shows that the Martins had at least £50,000 in the bank
0:06:04 > 0:06:09whilst receiving benefit but they'd told us that they had no money.
0:06:14 > 0:06:20If you have savings of over £16,000, you are not entitled to claim housing benefit.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23So it seemed the Martins had not been telling the council the truth.
0:06:25 > 0:06:30The investigators also made another interesting discovery -
0:06:30 > 0:06:33the Martins had both been claiming income support.
0:06:33 > 0:06:37But it appeared that Samantha Martin was not long-term unemployed.
0:06:37 > 0:06:42The mortgage application gave her occupation as interior designer,
0:06:42 > 0:06:45earning 40,000 plus a year.
0:06:45 > 0:06:50So, far from struggling to pay the rent, the Martins were doing quite nice,
0:06:50 > 0:06:53thank you very much. And they were about to become even richer.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58A year after purchasing the Chingford property, Mrs Martin
0:06:58 > 0:07:00sold the property for £230,000,
0:07:00 > 0:07:05making a £100,000 profit on top of the £50,000 that she put down initially.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10This couple clearly had something to hide,
0:07:10 > 0:07:13claiming to be long-term unemployed, with no income at all
0:07:13 > 0:07:16yet all along buying and selling property.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19And they weren't the only members of the family with secrets.
0:07:19 > 0:07:25Later in the programme, it looks like Samantha Martin's sister was also cheating the system.
0:07:25 > 0:07:30She claimed to live alone with her children, but in fact she had a husband living with her.
0:07:34 > 0:07:41From scroungers stealing from the benefit system - and the taxpayer - to the people we call our saints,
0:07:41 > 0:07:45individuals and organisations up and down the country
0:07:45 > 0:07:49that go out of their way to help people in genuine need.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56Few of us can envisage what it must be like to find out that you'll have
0:07:56 > 0:07:59to spend the rest of your life living with a crippling illness.
0:07:59 > 0:08:06But imagine for just one moment what it must be like getting news like that when you're just 14 years old.
0:08:09 > 0:08:13Josh Lowe lives in Stoke on Trent with his mum Hannah and dad Steve.
0:08:13 > 0:08:18His health problems started as soon as he was born.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21It became apparent when he was born that there was...
0:08:21 > 0:08:24something different, we'd say,
0:08:24 > 0:08:25about his feet.
0:08:25 > 0:08:30Basically they were tucked in, facing the wrong way.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33You sort of feel like it was partially your fault.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36Is it something that me and his mum did wrong?
0:08:36 > 0:08:40All sorts of different thoughts go through your mind,
0:08:40 > 0:08:45until an expert explains that there are other children in the world that are born with the same problem.
0:08:47 > 0:08:52At just nine months old, Josh had his first operation, and spent two years in a cast.
0:08:52 > 0:08:56Throughout his childhood, he has needed orthopaedic shoes and constant physio.
0:08:56 > 0:09:00But he learned to live with his condition.
0:09:00 > 0:09:05Then, just before his 11th birthday, Josh suffered a major setback.
0:09:05 > 0:09:10He was actually playing football, Josh was, with his grandad.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13It was basically just stopping,
0:09:13 > 0:09:17he went to kick the ball, and as he stopped, his right knee came out.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19Your whole body can't move.
0:09:19 > 0:09:23It's just when your knee comes out,
0:09:23 > 0:09:28it's probably your body goes into shock and you just, you can't move. It's very painful.
0:09:28 > 0:09:31Agonisingly, it happened another four times,
0:09:31 > 0:09:35and Josh underwent two years of tests and scans
0:09:35 > 0:09:41before he was diagnosed with a lifelong condition - chronic patella instability.
0:09:41 > 0:09:47His kneecap is unable to sit in its socket for long periods of time, and it can dislocate.
0:09:47 > 0:09:52- The slightest knock or tap or fall... - How he moves.
0:09:52 > 0:09:57Yeah, how he walks. If he stops a bit quick when he turns,
0:09:57 > 0:09:59that can cause it to come out.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04In an attempt to fix his knee problem,
0:10:04 > 0:10:07Josh underwent a major operation.
0:10:07 > 0:10:11They had to break my bone in two places..
0:10:12 > 0:10:19..to actually turn my kneecap inwards, to stop it jumping out.
0:10:20 > 0:10:25Since his surgery six months ago, Josh has been forced to stay off school.
0:10:25 > 0:10:30He's had to cope with constant pain and needs crutches and a wheelchair just to get around.
0:10:32 > 0:10:34He is weak.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37His right foot does come in even more,
0:10:37 > 0:10:42now they've realigned his leg where they've operated on him.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45And, you know, getting about is a problem.
0:10:45 > 0:10:47Difficult for him, yeah.
0:10:47 > 0:10:52Josh had lost all his teenage independence and relied on his parents round the clock.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55The pressure took its toll on mum Hannah.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57The stress was just too much for me.
0:10:57 > 0:11:01I had to go to see me GP and be under the, you know,
0:11:01 > 0:11:05relevant professionals to take care of me, which they have done.
0:11:05 > 0:11:09With her failing health and Josh's needs, Hannah had to give up her job.
0:11:09 > 0:11:13And with dad Steve out of work due to ill health,
0:11:13 > 0:11:17the family were struggling to make ends meet.
0:11:20 > 0:11:24But just when things had hit rock bottom for the Lowes, Josh's school
0:11:24 > 0:11:29suggested they get in touch with a local charity called Well Children.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32Serena Elkington is one of their family liaison officers.
0:11:32 > 0:11:34- Hello, you all right? - Yes, come in.- Shoes off.
0:11:34 > 0:11:40'We're out to see Josh, who recently had an operation on his knees which was quite complex.
0:11:40 > 0:11:42'Went to meet Hannah and Steve, who were lovely.'
0:11:42 > 0:11:44How is Josh at the moment?
0:11:44 > 0:11:47'Josh is a bit depressed, to be honest.'
0:11:47 > 0:11:51He plays on his PlayStation. He really wants to get out there.
0:11:51 > 0:11:56He's a really fun-loving kid and he just wants to get on, really,
0:11:56 > 0:12:00I suppose, and do the things that he did before his operation.
0:12:00 > 0:12:05We look at ourselves as a safety net for families, getting things that they actually really do need.
0:12:05 > 0:12:10It costs around three times more to care for a disabled child than a child without a disability.
0:12:10 > 0:12:14So if we can somehow help them get that funding or whatever,
0:12:14 > 0:12:17then you know, it's really beneficial for them.
0:12:17 > 0:12:23Serena immediately got to work looking at ways she could improve life for Josh and his family.
0:12:23 > 0:12:28Serena does come to the house on a regular basis,
0:12:28 > 0:12:32and she will discuss things like benefits and stuff
0:12:32 > 0:12:34that we might not be claiming for Joshua,
0:12:34 > 0:12:40or if she's heard of any different schemes, or something that she thinks Joshua might be able to access,
0:12:40 > 0:12:44she'll bring all the leaflets with her,
0:12:44 > 0:12:46paperwork and anything like that.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49She'll help us to fill the forms in.
0:12:49 > 0:12:51She's just been a great help.
0:12:51 > 0:12:57She's brought the financial side of things to us that we didn't know were there.
0:13:00 > 0:13:05Serena has managed to find extra cash for the family through the Carer's Premium.
0:13:05 > 0:13:10It's meant Josh can start to regain some of his teenage independence on outings
0:13:10 > 0:13:12with charity volunteer Amanda.
0:13:12 > 0:13:16It just takes the weight off our minds, knowing that he's in safe hands,
0:13:16 > 0:13:21he's enjoying what he wants to do, and it's just nice to know that
0:13:21 > 0:13:26there's an organisation out there like that that can help.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29You all right, mate?
0:13:29 > 0:13:35But while his social life might be improving, there's a much bigger challenge - Josh's education.
0:13:35 > 0:13:39He's missed out on so much school as it is, this year.
0:13:39 > 0:13:43To miss out on any more will probably hold him back,
0:13:43 > 0:13:47and we don't want him to be held back because of his condition.
0:13:48 > 0:13:52At this crucial time in his education,
0:13:52 > 0:13:57Josh has been forced to stay at home and had to rely on visits from a home tutor.
0:13:57 > 0:14:02There's a home tutor that comes around it could be once a fortnight sometimes, it depends,
0:14:02 > 0:14:08and she goes into the school, picks the work up and brings it back home to me,
0:14:08 > 0:14:11so I can just sit in the kitchen and just do the work.
0:14:11 > 0:14:15It's OK for short-term basis,
0:14:15 > 0:14:19but you need to get back into school,
0:14:19 > 0:14:24because obviously it's not the same as having someone in front of you, like a teacher,
0:14:24 > 0:14:26telling you what to do.
0:14:27 > 0:14:29But with the stairs and corridors at school,
0:14:29 > 0:14:34Josh now needs a full-time carer to get from class to class safely.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37It's something his family simply can't afford.
0:14:37 > 0:14:41It's important to get Josh back into school, and the one thing that's really stopping him is obviously
0:14:41 > 0:14:44the physical barriers and physical support he needs being at school,
0:14:44 > 0:14:47so I'm looking at ways to get money off the Government to provide that care.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50Things are looking up for Josh.
0:14:50 > 0:14:54After months of toing and froing, he finally gets some life-changing news.
0:14:54 > 0:15:00The school have agreed to pay for a carer to help him get to his classes.
0:15:00 > 0:15:03We've been in lots of different meetings and what's happened is the funding's come from the school.
0:15:03 > 0:15:08So Josh can have a carer to get back to learning,
0:15:08 > 0:15:12which he's excited about. He's really bright and missed out on a lot.
0:15:12 > 0:15:16This is what we've hoped for and fought for.
0:15:16 > 0:15:22It's actually nice to see him back with his school stuff on, back to school, meeting his friends,
0:15:22 > 0:15:29getting an education that he needs to progress with his life and do the job he wants when he leaves school.
0:15:29 > 0:15:36Josh's school have been really good and felt really supported.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40So with us all working together, it's meant we can confidently get Josh
0:15:40 > 0:15:45back into school as quick as possible but the paramount thing was his safety.
0:15:45 > 0:15:49Josh going back to school is absolutely wonderful.
0:15:49 > 0:15:55It's given me total peace of mind, knowing I can take him into school
0:15:55 > 0:16:00and I can come home and not have to worry because he's in safe hands.
0:16:03 > 0:16:08- Hello there! Welcome back!- Yeah.
0:16:08 > 0:16:15- A while.- Hiya. What's it feel like? - Weird.- I think he's really nervous.
0:16:15 > 0:16:22- It feels weird for everybody. Are you glad to be back?- Mmm. - Good. We're glad to have you back.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25Russell Hall, a teaching assistant at the school,
0:16:25 > 0:16:29will now make sure Josh gets from class to class safely.
0:16:29 > 0:16:35Whenever Josh is in school, I'll be with him, help him around, make sure he gets to lessons.
0:16:35 > 0:16:39When he's got hospital appointments and things like that,
0:16:39 > 0:16:41I'll still go into the lessons, the core lessons,
0:16:41 > 0:16:47English, maths, science, get the work, make any notes and take them back to Josh.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50'It does feel good just to get back to school,
0:16:50 > 0:16:54'because you get rid of the boredom and you see your friends again,'
0:16:54 > 0:16:55which cheers you up.
0:16:55 > 0:17:00To begin with, Josh will be part-time so he can get used to school more gradually.
0:17:00 > 0:17:07Yeah, I do feel a lot more safer, and a lot more secure,
0:17:07 > 0:17:10and it just makes a big difference.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13He's going to have the next two years full of happiness, really,
0:17:13 > 0:17:19even though he's going to have a awful lot of time in and out of hospital and everything,
0:17:19 > 0:17:22but the plus side is we've got everything
0:17:22 > 0:17:24in place for his education, and it's going to give him
0:17:24 > 0:17:28the start he needs and he really does deserve in life.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33He's shown a inner courage, an inner strength
0:17:33 > 0:17:35to come back into school, as he has done today.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38I see no reason why in 2012 he shouldn't collect
0:17:38 > 0:17:42a good batch of GCSEs, going onto college and going onto university.
0:17:42 > 0:17:44I feel fantastic for helping Josh out.
0:17:44 > 0:17:48It made all the hard work and letters and phone calls so worthwhile.
0:17:48 > 0:17:54'I think now I can concentrate more on my work, and get better grades.'
0:17:54 > 0:17:56I would say it's a new start.
0:17:56 > 0:18:00Josh has been dealt some pretty tough cards, but thanks to the help
0:18:00 > 0:18:06and support of people like Serena, he's now going to get something that every kid deserves.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09An education, and a childhood.
0:18:11 > 0:18:16Now, from the saints who help those in real need, to the people who steal from the system.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19Our scroungers in Essex.
0:18:19 > 0:18:23Bob and Samantha Martin were under investigation
0:18:23 > 0:18:26for swindling over £130,000 in benefits,
0:18:26 > 0:18:28and after a lucky coincidence,
0:18:28 > 0:18:32the council's fraud team were building a strong case against them.
0:18:34 > 0:18:39The Martins painted this picture of living on the breadline and struggling to pay the rent.
0:18:39 > 0:18:43But Epping Forest Council's investigators soon found this was far from the truth.
0:18:43 > 0:18:49And incredibly, it turns out another member of the family was about to catch their attention as well.
0:18:49 > 0:18:53At the same time as investigating the Martins,
0:18:53 > 0:18:56we investigated somebody called Francesca Russell.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59This was Samantha Martin's sister.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02Francesca lived just down the road from Bob and Samantha Martin
0:19:02 > 0:19:05in Buckhurst Hill, Essex.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08She was claiming housing and council tax benefit
0:19:08 > 0:19:11from Epping Forest District Council.
0:19:11 > 0:19:16She claimed to live alone with her children in a property.
0:19:16 > 0:19:21This is the housing benefit application form for Francesca Russell.
0:19:21 > 0:19:26Where she clearly neglects to put a partner down on her form,
0:19:26 > 0:19:28and indeed she ticks "no"
0:19:28 > 0:19:31to the question "Do you have a partner who normally lives with you?"
0:19:31 > 0:19:38Accompanying the form was a tenancy agreement that only showed Francesca Russell as the tenant.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41If she had a partner that was working,
0:19:41 > 0:19:43this would affect her benefit entitlement,
0:19:43 > 0:19:48either reducing it or totally knocking her out of benefit.
0:19:48 > 0:19:50But just like her sister Samantha,
0:19:50 > 0:19:55the council soon discovered things were not how they appeared.
0:19:55 > 0:20:00Officers obtained the original tenancy agreement from the same landlord,
0:20:00 > 0:20:03detailing tenants as Mr Karl Russell
0:20:03 > 0:20:07and Mrs Francesca Russell of the same address.
0:20:08 > 0:20:11So the council were looking at a false document,
0:20:11 > 0:20:15the tenancy agreement, but also a failure to declare that Mrs Russell
0:20:15 > 0:20:17had her husband living with her.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21So Francesca was also cheating the taxpayer.
0:20:21 > 0:20:26Meanwhile, her sister Samantha and brother-in-law Bob continued to claim benefit.
0:20:26 > 0:20:31In 2006, the house in Allnutts Road, where they claimed to be renting, was sold.
0:20:31 > 0:20:36The couple moved to another house in Epping, apparently owned by the same Portuguese landlord.
0:20:36 > 0:20:41They moved to a different rented house and continued to claim housing benefit
0:20:41 > 0:20:45and council tax benefit, as well as income support at that property.
0:20:45 > 0:20:49It did seem strange that the Martins moved from one property to another, within Epping,
0:20:49 > 0:20:54and had the same landlord, and we thought, well, who is this landlord?
0:20:54 > 0:20:57He lives in Portugal, but we've never seen him.
0:20:57 > 0:21:02Whether they really were tenants with a Portuguese landlord, in the end it didn't matter.
0:21:02 > 0:21:07The council already had enough financial evidence to make a case.
0:21:07 > 0:21:11We thought we had enough to get Mr and Mrs Martin arrested.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14The police could then search the property for further evidence,
0:21:14 > 0:21:18and indeed, that happened in August 2007.
0:21:18 > 0:21:22- You've got the wrong person! - 'I was there at the search.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25'It was a very plush property, they were doing well for themselves.
0:21:25 > 0:21:29'They weren't living on the breadline as they claimed to be.'
0:21:29 > 0:21:34And they were far from amateurs. The Martins were highly organised scroungers.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39Normally you find paperwork everywhere, all in drawers,
0:21:39 > 0:21:42but the Martins had it in folders in a cabinet.
0:21:42 > 0:21:47Folders that were marked benefits, mortgages, bank accounts, building society accounts.
0:21:50 > 0:21:55Just as the fraud team had hoped, the search turned up even more
0:21:55 > 0:21:57financial evidence against the Martins.
0:22:00 > 0:22:05When we found the bank statements, we realised they hadn't been declared to us.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08We approached the banks and obtained statements back to 2003,
0:22:08 > 0:22:13when Mr and Mrs Martin initially claimed income support and housing benefit.
0:22:13 > 0:22:17This is a Halifax bank statement that the council obtained,
0:22:17 > 0:22:20following Mr and Mrs Martin's arrest.
0:22:20 > 0:22:26It shows that on 1st February 2005, £44,000 was deposited into that account.
0:22:26 > 0:22:32In July, £79,460 was deposited.
0:22:32 > 0:22:37Over a matter of months, the Martins had
0:22:37 > 0:22:40over £120,000 go through their account.
0:22:40 > 0:22:44This meant they had more money than they had declared.
0:22:44 > 0:22:47Further investigations into the Martin's finances
0:22:47 > 0:22:51revealed that on 14th April 2003,
0:22:51 > 0:22:56just after their claim for housing benefit,
0:22:56 > 0:23:03£98,190 was deposited into Mr Martin's Bank of Ireland account.
0:23:04 > 0:23:08This meant that from pretty much the outset of their claim,
0:23:08 > 0:23:13they wouldn't have been entitled to housing benefit.
0:23:13 > 0:23:17We had proof that they were committing offences right back to 2003.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20That's just pretty disgusting really, you know, this was pure greed.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23In fact, between 2003 and 2007,
0:23:23 > 0:23:28a staggering £430,000 had gone through their accounts.
0:23:28 > 0:23:34And all the time, these people were illegally claiming taxpayers' money,
0:23:34 > 0:23:38in the form of housing and council tax benefits and income support.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41Anyone who wants to claim housing benefit could only claim
0:23:41 > 0:23:46if they had less than £16,000 in their bank at any one time.
0:23:46 > 0:23:50On numerous occasions, the Martins had well in excess of that.
0:23:50 > 0:23:56It's an offence not to declare that you have capital that exceeds £16,000.
0:24:01 > 0:24:05It was time for the Martins to face some serious questions.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08Mr Martin was very calm when he was arrested.
0:24:08 > 0:24:12Mrs Martin was really upset, and, you know, very tearful.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15He was interviewed for over an hour, and he didn't crack.
0:24:15 > 0:24:19He made no comment at every question.
0:24:25 > 0:24:29Samantha Martin declined to be interviewed, due to ill health,
0:24:29 > 0:24:32but the council had enough evidence to go court.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35And the game was up for Samantha Martin's sister Francesca too.
0:24:35 > 0:24:40Over just four months, she had falsely claimed £7,000 in benefits.
0:24:40 > 0:24:46The couple were arrested at their property in Buckhurst Hill.
0:24:46 > 0:24:51The police searched the property and established that her husband had been living with her.
0:24:51 > 0:24:56Francesca, who turned up at Chelmsford Crown Court to support her sister,
0:24:56 > 0:24:58was found guilty of benefit fraud.
0:25:00 > 0:25:03She was ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid work,
0:25:03 > 0:25:07and was given an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10No charges were brought against her husband.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13The Martins were charged with dishonestly claiming benefit
0:25:13 > 0:25:16and concealing their true financial circumstances,
0:25:16 > 0:25:18including their ownership of property.
0:25:18 > 0:25:22The council also brought the prosecution for income support fraud
0:25:22 > 0:25:26on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29In Mrs Martin's defence, it was argued Mr Martin had posed as his wife,
0:25:29 > 0:25:34bought the property in Chingford and sold it without her knowledge.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37She admitted she was aware of the bank accounts,
0:25:37 > 0:25:41but claimed she didn't know that her husband had bought a property,
0:25:41 > 0:25:44and then sold it, with the proceeds going through her account.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47In the end, she admitted they were both involved
0:25:47 > 0:25:49and they pleaded guilty to all charges put to them.
0:25:54 > 0:25:58Samantha Martin was given a 12-month suspended sentence,
0:25:58 > 0:26:01and ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid work.
0:26:01 > 0:26:06It was revealed that Bob Martin had a previous conviction for fraud.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09He was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14Following this investigation, it was established
0:26:14 > 0:26:18that the Martins were overpaid £130,000 housing benefit,
0:26:18 > 0:26:20council tax benefit and income support.
0:26:20 > 0:26:25That's the biggest ever fraud found in Epping Forest District Council's history.
0:26:25 > 0:26:31Robert Martin got a longer sentence because he was the main architect of the fraud.
0:26:31 > 0:26:37It has been very pleasing to bring both those prosecutions to successful conclusion.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40What we have to hope is that anybody out there
0:26:40 > 0:26:45who is currently committing a fraud sees what has happened,
0:26:45 > 0:26:47and that is a significant deterrent.
0:26:47 > 0:26:52Mistakes, stupidity or just plain greed.
0:26:52 > 0:26:55It doesn't matter how clever cheats think they are,
0:26:55 > 0:26:57sooner or later they will get caught.
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0:27:16 > 0:27:20E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk