As more revelations emerge about Ian Paisley’s finances, Eamonn McCann asks whether it is one law for Ian and another for the rest of us?
Ian Paisley is still swanking around Ballymena, pockets stuffed with far-flung souvenirs and dubious dosh.
Meanwhile, here’s a few highlights of court proceedings against fraudsters in the past week.
A 56-year-old Belfast woman was sentenced to four months suspended for three years for doing the double – working while claiming benefits – and ordered to pay back £11,000, else be carted off to serve her time.
A Belfast man, 36, rumbled for doing the double, was hit with a sentence of four months on each of eight charges, suspended for two years. Ordered to cough up over-payment of £3,245 or be dumped in the dungeon.
A man from Newtownabbey, 57, was given a conditional discharge after being convicted of having “excess capital” of £2,635 in his account while claiming benefits. Money to be paid back in full.
A 47-year-old Enniskillen man was ordered to complete 120 hours Community Service on each of three charges of working while in receipt of benefits. The over-payment of £2,635.94 must be paid back.
And so on and on.
The miscreants must be kicking themselves now that they didn’t keep in with the canny crim. He could have told them that their problem was that they didn’t think big enough.
One law for Paisley, another for the poor. You couldn’t make it up.
