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| Benefits cheat accused Alan Bannister 'champion golfer' | Benefits cheat accused Alan Bannister 'champion golfer' |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| A man accused of a £26,000 benefit fraud who said he was too ill to walk was a champion golfer, a court heard. | A man accused of a £26,000 benefit fraud who said he was too ill to walk was a champion golfer, a court heard. |
| Alan Bannister, who has chronic arthritis, claimed £26,090 in higher rate Disability Living Allowance between 2004 and 2012. | Alan Bannister, who has chronic arthritis, claimed £26,090 in higher rate Disability Living Allowance between 2004 and 2012. |
| Cardiff Crown Court heard he was a club champion at St Andrews Major Golf Club in the Vale of Glamorgan at that time. | Cardiff Crown Court heard he was a club champion at St Andrews Major Golf Club in the Vale of Glamorgan at that time. |
| Mr Bannister, 54, from Barry, denies theft and fraud and said he would only play golf when taking pain killers. | Mr Bannister, 54, from Barry, denies theft and fraud and said he would only play golf when taking pain killers. |
| Prosecutor Stuart McLeese said Mr Bannister wrote on his claim form that he could not walk 50 metres before feeling severe discomfort and that would take him 10-15 minutes. | |
| Chronic arthritis | Chronic arthritis |
| Department for Work and Pensions investigator Andrew Holland covertly filmed Mr Bannister after receiving an anonymous tip-off. | Department for Work and Pensions investigator Andrew Holland covertly filmed Mr Bannister after receiving an anonymous tip-off. |
| He told the court he saw the defendant have little trouble navigating the 18-hole course, which was completed in just over four hours. | He told the court he saw the defendant have little trouble navigating the 18-hole course, which was completed in just over four hours. |
| Mr McLeese said in 2004, Mr Bannister joined the golf club and went on to play off a handicap of six. | Mr McLeese said in 2004, Mr Bannister joined the golf club and went on to play off a handicap of six. |
| "For those who may not know....[that means] Mr Bannister was a pretty good golfer," he added. | "For those who may not know....[that means] Mr Bannister was a pretty good golfer," he added. |
| The court heard Mr Bannister has ankylosing spondylitis, a chronic form of arthritis. | The court heard Mr Bannister has ankylosing spondylitis, a chronic form of arthritis. |