Deaf News: Three Deaf people jailed for 12 years for Access to Work fraud

It has been reported that three Deaf people who were convicted of Access to Work fraud have been jailed for a combined total of more than 12 years.

Extract from The Sun:

THREE profoundly deaf fraudsters who fleeced taxpayers out of nearly £1million have been jailed for a total of more than 12 years.

Paul Neal, 38, Stephen Dering, 39, and Russell Parke, 53, used sham companies and a registered ­charity to rake in cash from the Department for Work and Pensions.

Prosecutor David Aaronberg told how the group used false invoices to claim for support which had not been given.

This saw them gain benefits from the Government’s Access to Work scheme — set up to support disabled people.

Neal and wife Ethel, 37, who is also deaf, bought a holiday home in Ireland with the profits.

Neal, of Croydon, South London, was jailed for six years for ­conspiracy to commit fraud, fraud and fraudulent trading.

Dering, also of Croydon, got three years and Parke, of Westerham, Kent, 40 months.

Neal’s wife was also found guilty of a role in the scam. She got two years — suspended for 24 months so she could care for their kids.

Read the full story here: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/1315291/twelve-years-jail-for-deaf-trio-behind-1m-fraud/