A FORMER partner of a residential home has been jailed for 18 months after pleading guilty to illegally claiming benefits for residents, including some who had died.

Michael Harry Bovensiepen, 46, who helped run Cromwell's Nursing Home and neighbouring Thornton Hill Residential Home, both in Thornton-in-Craven, near Earby, pleaded guilty to 69 counts of obtaining money by deception and false accounting amounting to more than £85,000 when he appeared in court in July.

At Leeds Crown Court Bovensiepen, of Rupert Road, Ilkley, admitted another four counts of forging documents but denied four of using the forged instruments to obtain loans from various banks.

Colin Harvey, prosecuting said between 1991 and 1998 Bovensiepen used patients in his care to claim illegal benefits. He defrauded the state by claiming the higher benefit awarded for nursing care for residents who did not need it.

Mr Harvey said when inspectors were to visit the home Bovensiepen moved a number of patients from the residential home to the nursing home to try to hide the discrepancies.

Bovensiepen, who secured an £80,000 salary, also continued to claim benefits for residents after they had died, the court heard.

Mr Harvey said the defendant managed to make the claims by setting up a system whereby he could cash in money at the post office on behalf of elderly, infirm or frail residents.

The more recent forgery charges were committed while Bovensiepen was on bail awaiting sentence on the benefit fraud.

Mr Harvey said the defendant visited an accountant in Ilkley to discuss buying a residential home in the town. Bovensiepen created his own documents and accounts using the accountant's name and generated paperwork on a home computer.

"He was thwarted by the due diligence of others," said Mr Harvey. Staff at banks where Bovensiepen submitted papers to try to obtain a loan queried the application.

Sean Morris, defending, said Bovensiepen had lived in the shadow of his brother and he just wanted to make his new business a success.