Rose Jones lived a luxurious lifestyle while claiming disability benefits

by Paul Hooper

Scuba divers Rose and Reg Jones, who masterminded a £135,000 benefits scam to pay for their luxury lifestyle, have both been sent to prison.

The Ramsgate couple – who have since divorced – claimed 53-year-old Rose was so ill she was bed-ridden and could barely walk so they could claim handouts.

In fact, the couple had:

• Enjoyed luxury scuba diving trips
• Claimed to have travelled to the Maldives, Indonesia and Osnabruck for Roseto do her diving exams
• Enjoyed golfing and skiing trips to Canada, Mexico, Romania, Bulgaria, Jamaica and Spain
• Owned a motor home
• Joined a yacht club
• Had a personalised number plate -B1G REG

Today the pair were both jailed for their part in the 16-year fraud at Canterbury Crown Court.

Reg, also 53, was jailed for 18 months and his ex-wife for 15 months.

Judge Nigel Van Der Bijl told them that although Rose did have a back problem, they had "gilded the lily" to get benefits for which they were not entitled.

Rose, pictured left, pleaded guilty to 11 offences of cheating the taxpayer and was found guilty on two others.

Reg, who now works as a supervisor for a Kent based private ambulance service, was convicted on six fraud charges.

The couple lived at Nicholas Drive, Ramsgate, when the scam was discovered.

Mr Jones now lives in Priory Gate Close, Dover, while Mrs Jones returned to Germany.

Helen Guest, prosecuting, told a jury during the 11-day trial that from 1994 to 2010 the Jones' kept up the pretence to officials that Rose was unable to work due to her crippling condition.

She revealed Rose had answered one of the official documents by saying: "I cannot bend or kneel or pick up a piece of paper from the floor. Have problems sitting in a chair for five minutes and back tends to lock and it hurts to get up.

"I am bed-ridden... my back condition is deteriorating... I cannot walk for more than 50 metres without stopping or feeling severe discomfort. I have problems with stairs and am also unable to open a bottle of wine."

She then claimed she could not wash and dress without the help of her husband "because my back locks".

Rose made even more extreme claims in another form in 1997, saying she suffered from "a severe back/spinal and nerve pain, which goes down both legs and thighs into my toes. Had spinal back operations."

But ex-Para husband Reginald told a jury a different story - of Rose's secret skiing and scuba trips to Abu Dhabi, Egypt and Panama with her lover.

He also told how in 2000, Rose landed a job at a Ministry of Defence building at Stone Buildings, Lincolns Inn in London – while working as a head concierge elsewhere in London.

"i am bed-ridden... my back condition is deteriorating... i cannot walk for more than 50 metres…” – what benefits cheat rose jones told officials

The prosecutor told how she had gone to a doctor complaining she was unable to work, while holding down both the jobs.

Rose alleged she was forced into signing all the applications by a husband who bullied her – and wanted money to fulfil his dream of a luxury lifestyle.

She told the jury how he had hit the children for being clumsy and screamed abuse at her.

"He told me that I was not fit for anything," she said. "He said I would never reach his level. He was up there and he viewed us as down there.

"He liked money. He liked big things, expensive cars like Range Rovers, with personalised number plates, hi fis, a nice house... everything we could not simply afford. He joined a golf club. It had to be the best equipment."

In 2010, she walked out on their marriage after having an affair with her scuba diving instructor and returned to Germany with her lover.

She claimed she had to apply for another passport and secretly opened bank accounts prior to fleeing the marriage.