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An obese husband described as "Wales' heaviest man" was caught defrauding £10,000 in benefits - after his estranged wife moved back home to help him lose weight.
Darren Stokes, who tipped the scales at 50 stone, started claiming single person benefits after his wife left him because his obesity.
But supermarket worker wife Sarah came back to him when Stokes, aged 37, had surgery to help him shed the pounds.
A court heard how Stokes - who goes by the nickname Biggun' - failed to tell social security officials that his wife had come back home as he carried on claiming single person's benefits.
Stokes was described as "spectacularly obese" by his own solicitor. He admitted forgetting to declare his benefits changes after having surgery to save his life and his marriage.
Owain Jones, defending, said: "Following his surgery he has had lots on his plate.
"He was even suicidal as he was craving food. He couldn't eat and was feeling so low.
"My client has suffered for a long time with his weight.
"He separated from his wife and this muddied the waters with regards to his benefits. Following his surgery he was unable to look after himself."
Magistrates heard 6ft 9in Stokes was claiming benefits on the understanding his wife had left him and he was living alone.
He continued to claim thousands in housing, tax and other benefits after she returned even though she was earning as as a team leader at a Tesco supermarket.
Prosecutor Nigel Vaughan said: "Stokes underwent major bariatric surgery and in February 2013 his wife returned to help look after him. He said it was a temporary measure.
"His wife was living there at the time and had no other registered address. Her employers, bank and driving licence all had his address.
"As a result an over payment of £8,051.75 in housing benefit, £1,279.84 of council tax and £1,280.57 of other benefits had been received."
Magistrates in Brecon, Powys, heard the surgery came after Stokes appeared in an ITV television documentary called the "Obesity Timebomb" as Wales' heaviest man.
Stokes had the bariatric surgery costing £8,000 on the NHS which cut out 80 per cent of his stomach.
After the operation he told the TV show: "It's given me a new lease of life, It is like be paroled from a long sentence.
The court heard he could not work after the surgery - but is now working as a recovery driver after losing much weight.
A pre-sentence report on Stokes said "food was his drug, forcing him to undergo surgery to reduce his crippling weight."
Stokes, of Newbridge-on-Wye, Powys, was fined £200 after admitting failing to notify his change of circumstances over six months.
He is also paying back his over-payment of benefits at £5 a week - which will take him more than 40 years.
After the hearing, Stoke said he was no longer living with estranged wife Sarah and has "another woman in his life."
He said: "I don't want to talk about it and want to get on with my life. If I wanted this to be public I would have gone on Jeremy Kyle."
Read more: http://www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/Spectacularly-obese-man-10k-benefit-fraud/story-28061956-detail/story.html#ixzz3pn7Y0CKX
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