A DISABLED fraudster has been given six months to pay £20,000 after ripping off the benefits system.

Nandi Joshi, aged 55, of Queen Adelaide Court, Queen Adelaide Road, Penge, admitted making false social security declarations to obtain £9,912 over four-and-a-half years.

Croydon Crown Court heard Joshi, who falsely claimed income support, say he had no money despite having accounts in the Halifax bank and the Indian Bank of Baroda containing at least £60,000.

Judge John Tanzer told Joshi: "These offences were blatant, deliberate and persistent. You knew exactly what you were doing but you carried on."

John Burton, mitigating, said Joshi had been a successful chef but was struck down by a progressive illness and now relied on a wheelchair.

Joshi, whose crime was discovered when the Inland Revenue passed details of his bank and building accounts to the Department of Work and Pensions, admitted three charges of making false declarations and asked for 242 other offences to be considered.

He was given an eight-month prison sentence suspended for two years, was fined £5,000 and ordered to pay back the £9,912 as well as £5,000 costs.

Joshi came to Britain from India in 1988.