A frontline Universal Credit worker has been jailed after fraudulently fleecing the claims system out of £12,000.
Stuart Robertson made nine payments to his own bank account over a three-month period, while working at a call centre in Preston in 2019.
The 34-year-old admitted nine counts of fraud by abuse of position and was jailed for 10 months.
The fraudster claimed the money from the Department for Work and Pensions between May to July in 2019, the hearing was told.
His call centre role at the time involved dealing with new claims and changes to people's claims.
Judges heard he had "never explained" why he committed the offences.
To qualify for the payments, Robertson claimed he was responsible for three children and without full-time work when, in reality, he was single with no children, living in rented accommodation.
He arranged for nine payments to be paid into the same bank account as his monthly salary.
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Rob Girvan, prosecuting, said Robertson "abused the position of trust he held" to steal money that was "badly needed elsewhere".
He continued: "His audacity included arranging for the money to be paid into the same account that his DWP wages were paid into.
"His reputation and career are in ruins. He has only himself to blame."
