Benefits fraudster who bagged £85,000 while working for several employers avoids jail

An Isle of Man resident has received a suspended prison term after defrauding the social security system of more than £85,000 while holding down multiple jobs.

Vincent McGee, 27, from Baldwin Road in Douglas, was given a 22-month custodial sentence suspended for two years at Douglas Courthouse this week, alongside a supervision order lasting the same duration.

The court heard that McGee had been claiming incapacity benefit payments totalling £85,524 over a period spanning nearly seven years, all while employed in various roles, including working behind the bar at an Italian restaurant and serving customers at a petrol station.

McGee's fraudulent activity began in August 2018, just weeks after he started employment at the Italian restaurant on July 11 that year.

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Throughout the scheme, he provided 54 medical certificates to the benefits office and used the Government's MiCard system to collect payments on 240 separate occasions, each time declaring his circumstances remained unchanged.

The prosecution told the court that the claims were dishonest from the very beginning.

Beyond his bar work, McGee also took on additional employment during the period he was receiving the payments, including a position as a retail assistant at a petrol station.

The fraud came to light when McGee applied for an income support loan to purchase cutlery following a house move, prompting officials to examine his bank records and discover evidence of his employment earnings.

His defence advocate told the court McGee had telephoned the Social Security division during a period of poor mental health in mid-June 2025 to admit his wrongdoing, though she acknowledged this "might not have started" the investigation.

The defence argued financial pressures had driven McGee to make the initial false claim, but he had since worked with debt services to stabilise his situation and was repaying £40 weekly.

The court heard McGee has been diagnosed with ADHD and autism, while a report also indicated he was showing signs of Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder.

Deemster Graeme Cook described the sum involved as an "extremely large amount" that would ordinarily merit immediate imprisonment.

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However, the judge noted there was no indication McGee had lived lavishly on the proceeds, concluding a short prison term would serve "no useful purpose to the public".

Given uncertainty over whether McGee's confession had prompted the inquiry, the deemster said he would give him "the benefit of the doubt".

A compensation order of £3,000 was imposed, payable at £30 weekly from McGee's benefits.

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