Strongman who lifted £43,000 in disability allowances

More impressively, he lifted a half-ton car off the ground for more than a minute during an ironman competition.

Not bad for a man who claimed disability benefits for crippling back pain.

The 35-year-old body-builder put himself through a gruelling training schedule while raking in £43,000 in benefits.

His dedication to the sport brought him victory in Cornwall's Strongest Man competition in 2003, adulation in the local press and a cheque for £300.

Despite the publicity surrounding him, the father of two was able to continue claiming benefits because he had entered the competition under a false name.

But the swindle was exposed when Government investigators received an anonymous tip-off.

Stentiford, of St Neot, admitted four charges of falsely claiming benefits at Truro Crown Court yesterday.

The 6ft 4in body-builder began claiming disability benefits for sciatica – a condition which can cause intense pain in the lower back and legs – in 2002.

But the next year he entered the Cornwall's Strongest Man competition and pitted his strength against nine other contestants in six events designed to test allround weight-lifting ability.

Competing under the alias of John Nicholls he started the contest with the "crucifix hold", a move where body-builders pick up 50lb weights in each hand and hold them at arm's length while being timed.

Next, he carried two gas bottles over an obstacle course. Using a range of muscles across his back, he heaved a large truck across a course and loaded heavy objects into a lorry.

But it was his ability to hold up a Mini Metro for a minute which impressed the judges.

Steve Ruark, 47, who runs the Gymnasium Centre in nearby Liskeard, where Stentiford still works out, competed alongside the benefits cheat.

He said: "Jon is not in any way a bad man, he broke the law and that is wrong but it is not as if anybody got hurt."

In an attempt to defend his friend, he claimed Stentiford has suffered from back pain which used to spread through his legs.

He added: "On that day at the competition he was clearly the strongest man, he must have been taking pain killers and he must have been in pain when it happened."

Judge Graham Cottle told Stentiford he could face a jail term.

Stentiford pleaded guilty to one count of falsely claiming disability living allowance between June 2002 and October 2006; two charges of falsely claiming income support between February 2002 and April 2005 and one count of falsely claiming housing and council tax benefit.

He denied the same charge between January 2004 and April 2005.

The court also heard he has several previous convictions for dishonesty from at least ten years ago.

The case was adjourned and Stentiford was granted unconditional bail while reports are drawn up for sentencing.

• A man who falsely claimed nearly £8,000 in benefits on the grounds that back problems had left him disabled was working as a kickboxing instructor.

Paul Gargett, 55, from Knowle, near Fareham, Hampshire, was given a 26-week jail sentence suspended for two years at Portsmouth Crown Court.