A WARRANT has been issued for the arrest of a man who failed to appear for sentence for fraud involving payments of his late mother’s benefits after her death.

Appearing before Newton Aycliffe magistrates on December 19, Lee Harker admitted two counts of fraud and one of possessing articles for use in fraud, namely his mother’s bank card.

The offences relate to benefits paid into his mother’s bank account for more than 17 months after her death in July 2017, enabling Harker to cash almost £18,000 to which he was not entitled.

Having admitted the offences, the 38-year-old defendant, of Woodland View, West Rainton, was bailed to appear for sentence at Durham Crown Court yesterday.

But when he failed to appear his counsel, Helen Towers, said he was made aware of the time and date of the sentencing hearing on leaving the magistrates’ court and, since then, has received further notification by post, which has been returned to his solicitors’ office.

“Efforts have also been made to contact him this morning, which have been unsuccessful.”

Harker was on post-sentence supervision following his release midway through a prison sentence of ten months and eight weeks imposed at the court last May for burglary of a house in West Rainton and two theft offences, involving meat stolen from commercial premises, in October 2018.

Five days of that sentence was for failing to answer court bail earlier in those proceedings.

Issuing a bench warrant for Harker’s arrest, Recorder Darren Preston said a custodial sentence was the most likely outcome of the fraud case but added: “If he does turn up I’ll give him the benefit of a pre-sentence oral report.”