Latest news with #BrianRowe
Wales Online
2 days ago
- Wales Online
Couple claimed Universal Credit despite owning second home worth £170,000
Couple claimed Universal Credit despite owning second home worth £170,000 A judge told the couple that 'stealing from the state is not an insignificant matter' Vivian Park Drive, Pot Talbot (Image: Google ) A couple applying for benefits did not disclose that they owned a second property which they were renting out, a court has heard. As a result of the fraud the couple pocketed £48,500 in universal credit over a four-year period Swansea Crown Court heard the application for benefit payments by Brian and Frances Rowe was "fraudulent from the outset". A judge told the pair that "stealing from the state is not an insignificant matter" and their offending crossed the threshold for a custodial sentence. Ryan Bowen, prosecuting, told the court that in February, 2019, the Rowes made a claim for the universal credit benefit declaring they had savings, investments of capital of less than £6,000. The claim was approved, and the first payment was made the following month. The court heard the couple had not declared that Brian Rowe owned a second property on the street where they lived, and had done for some 20 years. When the couple made the application for benefit the second house was worth around £170,000 which would have made them ineligible for universal credit. Article continues below The prosecutor said that in December, 2013, a claim for housing benefit had been made in respect of the second property with Mrs Rowe being named as the landlord, and he said the rent on that property had been £500 per month. The court heard that as a result of the false declaration made by the defendants, between February, 2019, and August, 2023, the couple received £48,517 in overpayments they were not entitled to. The prosecutor said it was the crown's case that the claim for universal credit had been "fraudulent from the outset". For the latest court reports sign up to our crime newsletter Brian Rowe, aged 63, and Frances Rowe, aged 58, both of Vivian Park Drive, Port Talbot, had previously pleaded guilty to dishonestly failing to notify a change of circumstances when they appeared in the dock. Brian Rowe has one previous conviction for one offence of criminal damage; Frances Rowe has no previous convictions. Huw Davies, representing both defendants, said the couple had re-mortgaged their home to raise money and had already started paying back what they owed. Judge Geraint Walters said it was clear from what he had read that the motivation for the offending had been financial, with Brian Rowe being unable to work at the time of the application due to ill-health leaving the couple with just Frances Rowe's income. The judge said "stealing from the state is not an insignificant matter" and the offending crossed the custody threshold but he said on a proper application of the sentencing guidelines he could not justify a sentence of immediate custody even if he wanted to impose it. With one-third discounts for their guilty pleas the defendants were each sentenced to six months in prison suspended for two years. Article continues below A hearing will be held on June 24 to set a proceeds of crime timetable or to deal with the issue of confiscation and repayments.
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
COUNTDOWN TO FREEDOM: Enterprise man under house arrest looked forward to clemency release
ENTERPRISE, Ala (WDHN) — April 11th, 2025. This is the day that one Enterprise man has been looking forward to. The day Brian Rowe will be officially freed from prison 'I know a lot of things are going on in this world and in this time, but for me it is really exciting,' said Rowe. Rowe, the Coffee County native, was convicted on a drug conspiracy charge in 2010 after prosecutors proved that Rowe and other suspects had an agreement to sell and distribute cocaine. He was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison, setting him up for a release date of around 2031. However, late last year he became one of 1,500 people to granted clemency by President Biden after years of advocating, re-enrolling in college, reading, and writing politicians to tell them his story. 'It at first was a tragedy, but I have learned to turn it around' WDHN spoke with Rowe, who has been in at-home incarceration since 2021, earlier this year and since that meeting some big changes have happened in his life. 'I just got married and I just got an internship with the company, which is a partnership with amazon. So I'll be doing some traveling, some working and connecting, and will officially be employed with them,' said Rowe. The marriage creating another layer to his growing support system. 'Having that moment, that time of support, is so encouraging. It just adds to my arsenal to support people especially in relationships,' said Rowe. The internship and future job with amazon preparing for him for his the rest of his life 'I want to own my business in a tech career. Putting me in a position to help start-ups and medium sized business take off and give them innovative ideas,' Rowe said. Rowe has also recently graduated from a program called AWS new voices, which is preparing him to be a public speaker. He will give Ted Talks and speak at summits across the country about Amazon. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Washington Post
06-03-2025
- General
- Washington Post
Looking for the best bowl of soup in D.C.? Here are 8 of our favorites.
Chef Brian Rowe learned the hard way how serious soup lovers are about their must-have bowls of steaming sustenance. He once tried to rotate French onion soup off the menu of local restaurant Junction Bistro, Bar & Bakery. The backlash was swift and severe. 'There was a riot,' he recalls. Sorry, chef, but we're with your customers on this one. There is nothing more comforting than a perfectly executed bowl of soup. The great ones aren't fancy, they just get it right — and are reliably available when you need them.
