Overview

• At Maidstone Crown Court, Paul Churchman received a three-year prison sentence, while Gemma Churchman got an 18-month term suspended for two years with 25 rehabilitation days and £1,000 costs.
• Prosecutors said he falsely claimed severe mobility and care needs, leading to £38,404 in Personal Independence Payment.
• During the fraud period he earned about £403,000 as a self-employed Evri courier, according to court evidence.
• The payments wrongly obtained included about £105,786 in housing benefit, £45,411 in income support, £24,562 in Universal Credit, £9,589 in Jobseekers’ Allowance, £8,081 in ESA and a £3,340 council tax reduction.
• Recorder Matthew Hellens rejected ADHD as a mitigating factor and said Churchman abused his wife’s trust by involving her despite her lack of prior convictions.