Magistrate Tony Murray said in Albury Local Court yesterday, when imposing the penalty on Brett Haynes, that the overpayments took place over a long time.

Haynes, 38, of Graetz Street, had previously pleaded guilty in December to eight counts of receiving a financial advantage from a Commonwealth entity and a pre-sentence report was ordered.

Haynes was overpaid $14,482.06 between July 2010 and May 2012.

He received 35 fortnightly payments under the Newstart scheme and failed to declare to Centrelink the income he was receiving from employment. Haynes received money from seven employers during that time.

He was entitled to partial payments for 17 fortnights and no payments for the other 18.

Haynes’ gross fortnightly income varied between $232.13 and $1964.89 and he under-declared the amount on five occasions.

He had falsely claimed 30 times that he had nil income.