A BENEFIT cheat who escaped jail so he could look after his sick wife — despite pocketing more than £70,000 — is behind bars.

Langland businessman Norman Gill appeared in court last February, where he was found guilty of fraudulently claiming income support and other benefits over five years.

He only escaped a jail term because he was the full-time carer for his sick wife. But he was made subject to a confiscation order, and was given a year to pay £200,000, after prosecutors calculated further earnings made from his criminal lifestyle.

However, after only paying around £34,000 over the past 12 months he this week found himself before Swansea Magistrates for a Proceeds of Crime Act enforcement hearing.

Mr Gill's solicitor asked magistrates for extra time to allow for the sale of his £700,000 Langland Court Road home — but after considering a counter submission from lawyers acting for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and Swansea Council, Gill was sent straight to jail.

Tal Davies, investigations manager for Swansea Council, said "Mr Gill had been caught through a detailed and dedicated joint investigation. What Gill did was not a victimless crime. He was stealing from all those people who pay their council tax to help provide important public services."

Gill, aged 61, had managed a property company — N&T Project Management — and run a successful clothing retail business, Piaf Fashions, of Gorseinon, while claiming thousands of pounds worth of benefits he was not entitled to.

At one stage he was receiving up to £3,500 a month in income from the property business, while simultaneously claiming £250-a-week in benefits.

Last February, after arriving at court in a £76,000 Mercedes car, he admitted obtaining money by deception, giving false information to obtain council tax benefit and evading a liability for council tax.

But because of his "wholly exceptional" circumstances as a full-time carer for his wife, who has a degenerative neurological condition and acute multiple sclerosis, Judge Peter Heywood did not impose immediate custody.

But following the court hearing this week he has now begun a 608-day sentence — and still faces a bill for the outstanding £166,000 owed.

Kevin McGrath, DWP area fraud manager for Wales, said: "Benefit thieves should be aware that we're closing in on them, and that they will not be allowed to get away with it."