A Pembroke man has been given a 12-month conditional discharge by magistrates in Haverfordwest after claiming benefit allowance when he was not entitled to do so.

Sixty-three-year-old Stephen Reginald Arthur Hathaway, of Mirehouse Place, Angle, appeared in court on Tuesday, to plead guilty to a charge of failing to notify the Department for Work and Pensions of a change of circumstances which would affect his entitlement to Employment Support Allowance, namely that his wife was in receipt of a pension.

Prosecutor Vaughan Pritchard-Jones told the court that the claims amounting to £6,255.439 came over a nine-month period between December 2013 and August of last year.

"The defendant, who is a man of entirely clean character, has since repaid the sum in full and there is no amount outstanding," he explained.

Mr. Hathaway's solicitor, Mr. David Williams, told magistrates that it was a most "unfortunate occurrence" that his client, at the age of 63, would lose his clean character.

"The claims were not fraudulent, and the charge does not allege dishonesty; it stems from Mr. Hathaway's disability where he lost his sight and is now registered as partially-sighted, which was the reason why he had to give up working," said Mr. Williams, explaining that his client's wife, a retired teacher, who had since sadly passed away, had taken the responsibility to look after her husband's claims forms.

"He is not using his disability as an excuse; it's a sad fact that he was relying on his wife to do the practical things, but he admitted it was his legal responsibility.

"Mr. Hathaway has always been held in a position of high trust throughout his working life, and it troubles him greatly that he will have a conviction against his name after today," added Mr. Williams.

Magistrates told the defendant that they did have sympathy for his predicament, before giving him a conditional discharge to run for 12 months.

Mr. Hathaway was also ordered to pay costs of £85 and a £15 victim surcharge.