A man who hit a low point in his personal life allowed himself to be exploited by benefit fraudsters.

Blackburn Magistrates' Court heard Christopher Hulme provided his bank details to the fraudsters who made false claims for Universal Credit in his name.

Hulme, 30, of Tiverton Drive, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to five charges of retaining a wrongful credit.

He was made subject to a community order for 12 months and ordered to undertake 100 hours of unpaid work.

He was also ordered to pay £85 costs and a £90 victim surcharge.

Daniel King, mitigating, told the court his client had been exploited by those behind the fraud.

“He didn’t contact anyone,” said Mr King. “They contacted him and offered him the chance to make some easy money.”

Mr King said the offences started in 2018 at a time when Hulme believed he was the father of an unborn child, which, before it was born was made subject to care proceedings.

“He made efforts to get in place a care package,” said Mr King.

“Part of that was a paternity test which showed he was not the father. That upset him greatly.”

Mr King said Hulme started drinking and taking drugs and, was often the case, built up a debt.

“They wanted their money and offered him this fraud as a way out,” said Mr King.

“He didn’t know anything about the fraud. All he knew was that he gave someone his details and the money landed in his account and he gave half of it to the people who were carrying out the fraud.”

Mr King said in the five-and-a-half years since the offences started his client had not re-offended.

“He has managed to sort out his problems and is no longer drinking or taking drugs,” said Mr King.

“He spends most of his time looking after his father, who is a stroke victim.”