A BEWDLEY man was fined £300 by magistrates and ordered to pay £350 costs as he had falsely claimed housing and council tax benefit.

Nicholas Broome, 37, of Cleobury Road, appeared before Kidderminster magistrates.

The court heard Broome had failed to tell the authorities his circumstances had changed and continued to claim benefits as if unemployed.

He will have to repay the overpayment in benefits totalling £1,287.