Former soldier evades jail over fraudulent benefit claims

Judge Paul Ramsey QC told 47-year-old former Royal Irish Regiment (RIR) private Clive Miller that he accepted he was “a broken man both physically and mentally” who had “brought disgrace on himself” by his appearance in court.

However, the Dungannon Crown Court judge said he had received a testimonial from a “senior politician” which “spoke glowingly of his work in the voluntary sector”.

Judge Ramsey said Miller, who spent three years in the Army, “faces an uncertain future”, including a ‘proceeds of crime’ hearing to determine what monies he has to repay, and that his offending had also cost him his marriage.

Miller, from Coleshill Crescent in Enniskillen in Co Fermanagh, had previously pleaded guilty to four charges of failing to declare a change in circumstances to the Social Security Agency between May 2002 and December 2010 in obtaining both housing benefit and income support.

However, two other charges of money laundering – against the invalided former soldier who is still in receipt of benefit including DLA and for industrial injuries – arising out of deposits of over £280,000 in Santander and Ulster Bank accounts between March 2003 and April 2006 were ‘left on the books’ and not proceeded with.

Judge Ramsey said an important part of Miller’s plea is his continued disability of the past 20 years, stemming from a fall in work.

Another important feature was Miller’s guilty pleas.

Last month defence lawyer Conan Rae said that Miller had not been leading a “champagne or extravagant lifestyle”.

Mr Rea said that Miller had made arrangements with Social Services to repay part of the overpaid monies to Income Support.