A benefits cheat who falsely claimed over £70,000 in Universal Credit by saying he was single has been caught out – by a Facebook post of his proposal.
Colin Christopher Hegarty, 58, told the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) that he was a single man between February 19, 2020 and September 18, 2025.
During that five-year period, he received £70,967.89 in benefits. But an investigation revealed that Mr Hegarty was lying and was, in fact, living with a companion.
His lie was only revealed after investigators found a picture showing Hegarty proposing to his partner posted on Facebook, with their friends congratulating
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