Civil servant fraudster approved false benefit claims from 'around the world' during Covid

Imposing a 12 month jail sentence on Philip McGeough, Judge Donna McColgan KC said “particularly in view of the fact that your wife and children will suffer enormously” she was prepared to suspend his sentence for two years.

Craigavon Crown Court heard that before the start of the global covid pandemic 40-year-old McGeough had been employed by the Department of Communities as a work coach, trying to encourage people to find a job.

With Covid impacting McGeough “was redeployed to approving claims for Universal Credit for eligible claimants in need of financial assistance during the early stages of the pandemic.”

Referring to written submissions from prosecuting counsel Joseph Murphy, Judge McColgan told the court that in early May 2020 however, the Department of Communities became aware of allegations that “a civil servant working in Portadown benefits office was engaged in Universal Credit fraud.”

“The allegation contained a number of WhatsApp messages from a number ending in 926 and checks on the departmental systems linked this number to the defendant,” said the Judge.

Quoting from those messages, Judge McColgan told the court how McGeough messaged the person that if they applied for Universal Credit, the application would come to him, he would approve it “and we split the difference.”

The message stated: “Simple one. I have a few friends claiming universal credit from around the world. Basically I get you on it. Look after it from my end (its my job) and we split the difference. Basically all you need is a British bank account, National Insurance number, no earnings being paid in the UK. Our office is closed and I can’t see it opening for 6months. It they do then you just close the claim. Load of people all come from around the world and are claiming UC.”

The recipient replied “Leave it with me” before the defendant continued: “Basically mums the word. I tell you how to claim. I approve it from my end. Then I become your work coach and if anyone is contacting you it is meant to be me. Only £409pm but its for nothing. Hope to get months out of it for us. I am obviously doing OK out of this. But if you have any questions shout.”

In the ensuing investigation, the Universal Credit Security team identified several suspicious applications which McGeough had been involved in but they were unable to contact many of the customers “mostly as they lived abroad.”

In one instance, Judge McColgan described how McGeough had messaged relative who was living in China and in the knowledge the man was thinking of coming back to Northern Ireland, the fraudster told him “he would be unable to get a job in Northern Ireland but stated everyone was receiving a Covid payment, which he offered to set up for him.”

“He said he would come to some arrangement with him later in respect of the payments,” said the judge adding that McGeough assured the man “he was doing him a favour and would process the claim quickly.”

McGeough was interviewed in January and February 2023 and having been shown the messages, he conceded the evidence was “overwhelming” and that he wanted to “hold his hands up.”

McGeough, from Selshion Hall in Portadown, later entered guilty pleas to two of the three charges against him - one of fraud by abuse of position and one of acquiring criminal property between 27 March and 26 May 2020.

“The extent of the fraud is difficult to quantify,” said the judge, explaining that while it is not known how many people received payments “it is estimated that the loss to the department would have been in the region of £5-6,000.”

Judge McColgan said while the breach of trust aggravating factor was encompassed in the first charge, she had to take account off the fact that McGeough had “exploited an emergency system designed to provide financial assistance during the pandemic.”

She said while the defence contended that McGeough “was always going to be caught…I’m not so sure about that.”

“I accept there was no sophistication but this was nevertheless calculated offending…and it only came to light as a result of someone coming forward to the department,” said the judge.

She told the court that mitigation McGeough had admitted the offending, had entered early guilty pleas and as well as losing his job, the fraudster has also “lost respect and reputation.”

Judge McColgan told McGeough that if he had fought the case and been convicted by a jury she would have imposed an 18 month sentence but given his pleas, his clear record and the impact on his family, she handed him as 12 month sentence, suspended for two years.

In addition she also ordered McGeough to pay £3,000 compensation.