UK Gambling Addict Sentenced for Stealing 68 Identities as Part of £169K Fraud Case

A UK gambling addict who stole 68 people’s identities to “dishonestly claim almost £170,000 was in the grip of a ‘desperate’ gambling addiction.”

James Stephen Barley, 37, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison after filing 157 fraudulent claims by “using personal information he harvested” from social media sites, including Facebook.

“I have a severe gambling addiction,” Barley said. “It’s ruined my life. I need closure from this. I can’t sleep, I can’t think straight. My head is an absolute car crash.”

 Judge Calls Fraud Scheme ‘Unbelievably Simple’

Carlisle Crown Court Judge Michael Fanning described Barley’s scheme as “unbelievably simple,” and it only required supplying a name, date of birth, and a previous address to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

Barley confirmed that the identities he used “included former school friends, people from his local area, whose Facebook pages he had examined, and even a family member.” He printed fake documents, which included phony tenancy agreements, at the local library.

Barley was arrested after one victim complained to the DWP about his change in benefits. The arrest only came after Barley bilked the DWP for £169,045 in emergency Universal Credit payments.

Gambling Addiction: A Growing Problem in the UK

Barley cooperated with DWP officials during their investigation. In sentencing, Judge Fanning noted Barley’s previous good character and that his actions stemmed from the need to “feed a desperate addiction.”

The judge noted, however, that Barley “systematically exploited the weakness in the claims process,” and there was no chance for him to avoid jail time. Last week, a former UK charity employee who stole more than £120,000 to fund a gambling addiction received a suspended sentence.

Barley, who’ll likely be released after serving 40% of his sentence, earned £700 a week as a steel galvaniser. He told the judge there were “two sides” to his character: he was “both a man who worked and earned a living honestly, and a gambling addict.”

“I’m sorry for what I’ve done,” he said, adding, “Whatever punishment is coming my way, I’ll take it. What I’ve done is wrong, and I hate myself for it. Addiction is a killer. I lost everything. The people I defrauded – a lot of them were very good friends, even my brother.”

Barley’s arrest reflects a growing problem in the UK. Gambling support charity GamCare announced last week that gambling-related debts in the UK have exceeded £5M since January.