Dance teacher who claimed £8,000 in disability benefits caught doing salsa

A former professional dancer, his career in West End productions was cut short by a debilitating injury.

Now, his knees wrecked by arthritis, he was on disability benefit and needed a walking stick to get about.

Except, that is, when he was leaping all over the dance studio teaching hip-hop and salsa four times a week.

Dennis, 47, received almost £8,000 in disability living allowance and incapacity benefit before his double life was discovered following an anonymous tip-off.

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He admitted 17 cases of making false claims when he faced magistrates in Aberystwyth, mid-Wales, and was ordered to carry out 200 hours of community service.

The court heard that Dennis, from Llanddewi Brefi, worked on stage until his injury seven years ago.

He started claiming disability benefits legally but when his condition improved, he started teaching at three schools and two dance studios in West Wales.

Fraud investigators found Dennis was paid over four years for teaching teenagers hip-hop dancing and giving salsa classes to more mature pupils.

One of his former pupils said: "John was a brilliant teacher - he was very fit and nimble.

"He knew all the moves and would demonstrate them first before putting us through our paces.

"His classes were very popular - no one had any idea that he was claiming disability allowance.

"You should have seen him move - he could salsa like a dream and his hip-hop was as good as any of the kids you see on telly. If anyone had told us he was disabled we would have laughed in their face."

Jacqueline Evans, who runs the New Quay Dance Studio, said: "John was a popular dancer - he taught many people at his time here. We had no idea he was disabled."

Magistrates heard that Dennis was in a "desperate situation" and needed the money.

Alison Mathias, defending, said he thought he could take dance lessons "for a few hours a week" without affecting his benefit.

"But he accepts he should have informed the Benefit Agency when the hours started increasing. He appreciates the criminality of his actions and has shown remorse. He is trying to pay the money back."