Arthur Nugent, 39, charged with over £10,000 State Pension fraud over father's death

A Keady man has appeared before the courts charged with fraud-related offences arising from the alleged continuation of State Pension payments following his father's death.

Arthur Nugent (39), of Annvale Road, is accused of dishonestly failing to disclose that his father died on October 3, 2023.

It is alleged that, as a result of this omission, State Pension payments continued after entitlement had ceased, leading to an overpayment totalling £10,087.31.

The case was before Armagh Magistrates' Court, where the charges were formally outlined. According to the allegations, the payments continued for approximately a year after the death.

Nugent is further accused of falsely representing himself as his late father during contact with the Pension Service. It is alleged that, in doing so, he procured a change to the bank account details used for the payment of the State Pension.

The alleged offences are said to have taken place between October 9, 2023 and October 17, 2024.

No further details about the circumstances surrounding the allegations were disclosed during the brief court hearing. The prosecution did not outline the evidence said to support the charges, and no facts relating to the case were examined in court at this stage.

The matter remains at an early stage in the criminal justice process. The court was advised that a future hearing will be required to determine how the defendant intends to respond to the allegations.

The case was adjourned until November 2, when Nugent is expected to indicate whether he intends to plead guilty or not guilty to the charges.

No findings have been made regarding the allegations, which remain before the courts. As with all criminal proceedings, Nugent is presumed innocent unless and until the charges against him are proven.