Community order for UKIP’ councillor Peter Lagoda over benefit fraud
Posted: December 20, 2014 Filed under: UKIP | Tags: benefit fraud, Cambridgeshire, Cambridgeshire County Council, community order, Conviction, Councillor, Maria Lagoda, South Beach, UKIP, Wisbech Leave a comment
Peter Lagoda
A UKIP councillor who admitted benefit fraud has been sentenced to a community order.
Cllr Peter Lagoda, who was elected to Cambridgeshire County Council in May, was made subject to the order for 12 months at Peterborough Crown Court after admitting making a false representation to gain benefits.
Lagoda had claimed he lived in South Beach, Cambridgeshire, when instead he shared a property in Wisbech with then girlfriend and now wife, Maria Lagoda.
She was also sentenced to a 12-month community order after admitting six counts of failing to notify the authorities of a change in circumstances.
It had been alleged the councillor and his wife falsely claimed £11,565 in income support, £2,346 in council tax and £10,949 in housing benefit.
Lagoda was suspended from UKIP when he was charged but remains a councillor, representing Wisbech South.
The pair initially denied all the charges, which related to the period between June 2008 and November 2010, but changed their pleas last month.
Cambridge News
UKIP’s Councillor Peter Lagoda and wife Maria plead guilty to £25k benefit fraud
Posted: December 20, 2014 Filed under: UKIP | Tags: benefit fraud, Cambridgeshire, Conviction, Councillor, Maria Lagoda, Peter Lagoda, South Beach, UKIP, Wisbech Leave a comment
Peter Lagoda
A UKIP county councillor and his wife have admitted swindling nearly £25,000 through benefit fraud.
Cllr Peter Lagoda, 59, and his wife Maria, also 59, today dramatically changed their plea to guilty at the start of their trial.
The pair had been accused of giving Fenland District Council a false address in a bid to claim extra benefits.
Lagoda had claimed he lived in South Beach, Cambridgeshire, when instead he shared a property in Wisbech with his wife.
It had been alleged the councillor and his wife falsely claimed £11,565 in income support, £2,346 in council tax and £10,949 in housing benefit.
But despite originally pleading not guilty in April last year at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court the pair have now admitted all the charges against them.
Peterborough Crown Court heard how all the dishonesty had stretched for more than two years between June 2008 and November 2010.
Lagoda had been elected to represent Wisbech South on Cambridgeshire County Council in May last year.
But he was suspended from UKIP after being charged by Cambridgeshire Constabulary with the fraud.
The pair will now be sentenced on March 28 at the same court.
A council spokesman said: “Cllr Lagoda’s status as a councillor remains unchanged until the outcome of any sentencing hearing is known.
“As such it would be wrong for the authority to comment any further.”
Cambridge News
Ukip Informer 