AN Amazon worker stole nearly £3k of taxpayers' money during a three-year campaign of dishonesty.

Jason Thomason, of Haryngton Avenue, Bewsey, was receiving council tax support despite being in employment.

The 53-year-old appeared before Warrington Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday after pleading guilty to dishonestly failing to disclose information to make a gain for self/another cause/or exposing others to loss.

Prosecuting, Rachel Maddocks told the court how from August 2017 to December 2020, Thomason was receiving council tax support despite being employed by Amazon.

She said that over this period, he was paid £2,780 by Warrington Borough Council – when he shouldn’t have been.

Ms Maddocks said how Thomason’s offending was ‘financially motivated’ and that he had ‘plenty of time to put it right’.

The court also heard how Thomason was originally offered a financial penalty of £1,000 but declined this.

He also failed to turn up to court on two occasions – resulting in him being arrested twice.

Thomason, who was unrepresented, said: “I totally apologise for all of the trouble I have caused everyone in court and at the council.

“I didn’t know what to do.”

Before sentencing, chair of the magistrates’ bench Alan Eyres said: “It was more or less that you just buried your head in the sand which was a very silly thing to do as it was not going to go away.”

Thomason was handed a 12-month community order and must complete up to 120 hours of unpaid work.

He must also pay £150 in court costs and a £85 surcharge.