Moment ‘housebound’ benefit cheat takes part in combat classes and works out at the gym – as she is jailed for £25,000 fraud

A ‘Home-bound’ benefit fraudster has been jailed after he was caught on camera attending gym classes while collecting £25,000 from the taxpayer.

Former nurse Helen Green, 49, of Shrewsbury, Shropshire, was described as ‘breathtakingly dishonest’ as she was sentenced to seven months in prison today.

He fraudulently accepted £25,244 in government benefits between January 2020 and March 2023 – all while attending exercise classes, lifting heavy bags and running three 10k races.

It was heard that Green, a wife and mother of a little girl, suffered from rheumatoid arthritis, as well as deep vein thrombosis in her ankles, varicose veins and knee problems.

In various statements to the DWP about her condition, she claimed she could not walk more than 50 meters at a time, needed help with the most basic household chores and could not carry shopping bags.

But Shrewsbury Crown Court was shown videos of Green attending a body-combat class at the local gym; There, Green also employed a personal trainer and attended classes such as body pump, Zumba and spin.

The court also heard a video from September 2022 in which he was seen leaving his local Aldi wearing gym clothes, carrying two heavy shopping bags and a backpack which he effortlessly put in his car.

But Judge Trevor Meegan said the most egregious example of his dishonesty was when he ran three 10,000 meter races in 2020 and 2021 and a prison sentence would be a ‘deterrent’ to others.

Prosecutor Harry Dickens said Green, a member of Shropshire Shufflers Running Club, ran the Market Drayton 10k in one hour and three minutes.

Helen Green, 49, ran three 10k races using her PiP benefits, completing one in just one hour and three minutes

In his defence, Green claimed he had run the race, but Judge Meegan described this claim as ‘grossly implausible’.

‘To do this in just an hour would require serious effort,’ he said. ‘Running during this period is indicative of a high level of physical fitness.’

Defense lawyer Kevin Jones said Green was told by paramedics to ‘stay active’.

Outlining the case against him, Mr Dickens said he first made a claim for PiP, the Personal Independence Payment, in July 2016.

He was given the standard amount, but appealed two months later and was upgraded to ‘enhanced care’, the highest level of support, which includes the Motability car.

Mr Dickens told the court Green reported being in ‘constant pain every day’ and unable to complete normal activities, including getting dressed and doing household chores.

She said she ‘couldn’t carry a bag’ and needed staff at the local supermarket to put her shopping into smaller bags so she could lift it into her car.

Green added that his condition is lifelong and is expected to worsen over time.

In June 2021, Green updated the DWP on his condition, saying his condition was “becoming difficult” and that he could only walk between 20 and 50 meters and only with crutches or the assistance of another person.

Mr Dickens said: ‘This was remarkable given his activities in Shropshire at the time.

‘In September and October 2022, she was videotaped attending a series of strength exercise classes at the gym, including Zumba, Body Pump, Body Combat and Spin.’

He also completed three 10k races in February and March 2020 and October 2021, each completed in just over an hour, the court heard.

In 2022, the DWP began investigating his situation following a tip-off over his ongoing activities and suspended PiP payments in March 2023.

Former nurse Helen Green, 49, of Shrewsbury, Shropshire, was described as ‘breathtakingly dishonest’ as she was sentenced to seven months in prison today.

Shrewsbury Crown Court was shown videos of Green taking part in a body combat class at his local gym; There, Green also employed a personal trainer and attended classes such as body pump, Zumba and spin.

When called for an interview, he attended on crutches and admitted that he was only told to do ‘strength training’.

‘He was basically dishonest and played fast and loose with what he told people about his health,’ Mr Dickens said.

Green, who initially denied wrongdoing, pleaded guilty in September 2025 to a charge of failing to notify a change of circumstances to obtain a benefit.

The court accepted that he was entitled to benefits from 2016, but in 2020 this turned into fraud.

The prosecutor said the DWP, in contrast, gave very different health assessments to the Shropshire Sports Village, of which it is a member.

The court heard she told her personal trainer Mike Booth that she had rheumatoid arthritis and that he sometimes canceled sessions due to discomfort.

In his defence, Mr Jones said his behavior did not ‘fund a lavish lifestyle’ and that he ‘had the disorders he claimed, it was just the extent of them’. ‘It has good days and bad days.’

He said Green, of Shrewsbury, was ‘deeply remorseful’ and had begun paying the money he owed.

‘She had been a nurse for many years,’ she said, adding that ‘losing her job and moving into medical retirement was difficult.’

‘She is a woman of previous good character and is acutely aware of the cost to the public purse.’

Sentencing, Judge Meegan said: ‘PiP is a benefit paid to four million people in the country. You received £25,244 although you were not entitled to it.

‘By any measure, your dishonesty was breathtaking and this is a crime against taxpayers.

‘Your claim started legitimately but you had an obligation to explain any changes but you failed to do so.

‘You presented a picture of ongoing, ongoing disability and taking advantage of the more relaxed regime during the Covid years.

‘You’ve been going to the gym regularly and attending challenging fitness classes for several years.

‘You also ran with the Shropshire Shufflers running club and entered three 10km races between 2020 and 2021. ‘Running 10 km in the same amount of time as you can is a sign of physical fitness.’

He finished his speech by rejecting the defense lawyer’s calls for a postponement of the sentence.

He said: ‘This was carried out over a long period of time and crimes of this nature require a deterrent sentence.’

Green, wearing a polka-dot dress, was instructed to stand and appeared tearful when told she would be sentenced to seven months in prison.

Her husband was consoled outside court by another family member.

Transformation Minister Andrew Western said: ‘This is a slap in the face to taxpayers and beneficial owners who depend on PIP to live their lives.

‘Helen Green wasn’t just burning calories at the gym, she was selling lies and our investigators caught her.

‘Let this be a warning; ‘You can’t beat the DWP.’

Mandy Tobias, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: ‘Helen Green pretended to have limited movement, instead she was a regular runner and active in gym classes. He did this out of his own greed and lined his pockets with fraudulently obtained money.

‘The Crown Prosecution Service presented strong evidence, thanks to the DWP’s investigative work showing Green’s deception, which resulted in his guilty plea.’