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‘Beggar’ with a ‘hungry and homeless’ sign raked in £300 A DAY while living in a £300,000 flat
Daily Mail (UK) ^ | 11:55 EST, 5 June 2013 | Simon Tomlinson

Posted on 06/05/2013 12:54:58 PM PDT by Olog-hai

A “beggar” who claimed he was homeless and hungry for years was earning £50,000-plus ($76,690+) a year and living it up in a £300,000 ($460,140) flat, a court heard.

Simon Wright, 37, sat outside a NatWest bank in his tatty clothes with his sleeping bag, his dog, and a handwritten sign telling of his plight. Generous passers-by took pity on him and regularly gave him £200 ($306.76) to £300 ($460.14) a day. After “work”, he went home to his smart council flat, in Fulham, west London. …

The council’s community safety spokesman, Councillor Jonathan Cook, said: “Anyone who lives, works or shops in and around Putney High Street will be mightily relieved to see this unpleasant individual given his marching orders. He deliberately targeted people making cash withdrawals from this cash point and was extremely aggressive and abusive to anyone who refused to give him money. Many people felt frightened and intimidated by him, and there is some evidence to suggest that he used his dog to threaten and pressure people into handing over their cash.” …

(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: fraud; homeless; nothomeless; phonybeggar
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To: Olog-hai

Also tax free, and with any other gov benefit he could ask for.


41 posted on 06/05/2013 2:16:09 PM PDT by I want the USA back (Pi$$ed off yet?)
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To: TexasCajun

So you regard begging as legitimate and capitalistic, versus working?

Your focus on fraud in the light of not reporting income for tax purposes bespeaks a non-capitalistic governmental outlook as well.


42 posted on 06/05/2013 2:23:49 PM PDT by Olog-hai
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To: Olog-hai
You asked: "How would you punish this?"

I focused on your question!

If gullible people didn't fund his lifestyle maybe he'd have to find a legitimate job.

43 posted on 06/05/2013 2:33:33 PM PDT by TexasCajun
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To: TexasCajun
So why should what he did be legal in any instance?

Your “punishment” is with a communistic outlook. All it focuses on is non-reporting of the “income” to the government (and to blazes with the people he defrauded), and apparently not having a problem with his being on welfare since merely not reporting “income” while being on welfare was included. Capitalism involves honesty and will to work versus dishonesty and sloth; aught else smacks of socialism.
44 posted on 06/05/2013 2:38:50 PM PDT by Olog-hai
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To: kingu

Wasn’t that part of the purpose of the “bedroom tax” they recently implemented in the UK? If you’re on welfare and living somewhere with more bedrooms than people who need them, you have to pay more or give up part of the benefits because you have excess space?


45 posted on 06/05/2013 2:49:21 PM PDT by tbw2
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To: Olog-hai
The guy's a bum, a jerk, and liar. ..immoral and unethical.

You want to put him in jail for that?

Is panhandling against the law where you live?

There are limits and restrictions here in Texas, but not illegal per se.

How you equate his actions & my comments to communism and socialism escape me?

Bums do what bums do, don't be a sucker! Geezzz

46 posted on 06/05/2013 2:49:50 PM PDT by TexasCajun
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To: TexasCajun

You want to keep someone who is immoral and unethical, and puts same into practice, out of jail or other suitable punishment?

Conservatism is about the spirit of the law more than the letter, FWICS; that is why the Founding Fathers said that religion and morality more than written law is what the country needs to stand on. Leftists are all about the letter of the law, and how that can be bent to manipulation of the populace for the elites’ gain.

What exactly is “legitimate” panhandling?


47 posted on 06/05/2013 2:56:24 PM PDT by Olog-hai
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To: Olog-hai
Can we at least agree to respect this guy for his honesty?


48 posted on 06/05/2013 2:56:31 PM PDT by TexasCajun
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To: Olog-hai
Geez, you are all over the place. Bless Your Heart!

Don't be a sucker and don't be manipulated.

BTW - "Elites" is liberal code word for successful, hard-working capitalist.

Leftist are all about the law ...I guess that is why Obama & Holder just ignore the ones they don't like.

49 posted on 06/05/2013 3:04:51 PM PDT by TexasCajun
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To: Olog-hai
Gotta run. ...I really think we're on the same team.

Welfare recipients should be required to take drug test, job train, go back to school and not be on welfare forever.

...and not cheat the system by hiding income gotten by any means.

50 posted on 06/05/2013 3:11:43 PM PDT by TexasCajun
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To: UCANSEE2
Yeah... My responses were sarcasm, but I didn’t label it that way.

Re-reading your post, I see that now. I guess my sarcasm detector needs a tuneup.

51 posted on 06/05/2013 3:54:16 PM PDT by Bob
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To: UCANSEE2

tons of ways to rip people off.


52 posted on 06/05/2013 4:09:23 PM PDT by Conspiracy Guy (I voted Republican, no Conservative was on the ballot.)
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