A BENEFIT cheat has landed himself back in court after refusing to carry out unpaid work.

William Strathern completed just 90 minutes of the 100 hours he was ordered to work after being caught scamming benefits.

The 63-year-old from Craigie Way in Ayr was previously sentenced to unpaid work for claiming £1,306.08 in Employment Support Allowance and £1,238.07 in Job Seeker’s allowance he was not entitled to.

The fraudster represented himself when he appeared at Ayr Sheriff Court on Tuesday, July 2 where he was questioned for not completing his community service.

He told Sheriff Desmond Leslie that he thought he was allowed to come and go when he wanted.

Sheriff Leslie told him: “If you were in the jail you wouldn’t be allowed to leave”, to which Strathern replied: “I’m not in the jail.”

Sheriff Leslie said: “Exactly, you’re not in the jail.”

He added: “You have two options here. You can either pay a fine of £200 at £5 per week or you can continue the unpaid work. Which is it going to be?”

But Strathern boldly replied to the Sheriff: “Let’s go with the £200 then”, before he strutted out the courtroom humming to himself.”

He was ordered to pay a £200 fine.