Bishop Auckland man jailed for £10k Covid grant fraud
- Published
Carl Robert Coulson admitted theft and fraud when he appeared at Durham Crown Court
A man who fraudulently got a £10,000 Covid business support grant has been jailed for 10 months.
Carl Robert Coulson claimed the money from Durham County Council in the name of a motor exchange business based in Langley Moor in April.
But the 35-year-old from Bishop Auckland almost immediately gave it to another man who has not been traced, Durham Police said.
He was jailed at Durham Crown Court after admitting theft and fraud.
The court heard Coulson, of St Andrew's Road, made another application in the name of a different business, but that was declined as the company had already received a legitimate payment.
Det Sgt Alan Meehan, of Durham Police's economic crime team, said: "Fraud of this nature has wide-ranging consequences and we will always seek to bring those who abuse the system to justice."
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