Judge says Ukrainian man took advantage of 'warm welcome' when claiming Jobseekers while couch-surfing in Scotland

Gordon Deegan

A 29-year old Ukrainian man who fled to here from the war in Ukraine in 2022 took advantage of the warm welcome he received from the State when illegally claiming Jobseeker's allowance while couch-surfing in Scotland for seven months.

At Ennis District Court, Judge Valerie Corcoran made her comment after Kostiantyn Teliuk, formerly of the Burren Atlantic Hotel, Ballyvaughan, Co Clare pleaded guilty to an offence concerning illegally receiving €4,868 in Job Seeker's benefits from the Irish State from September 2022 to April 2023 while he resided in Scotland.

Teliuk pleaded guilty to not informing the Dept of Social Protection of a change in circumstance that he had left the State in 2022 in an offence contrary to Article 188 of the Social Welfare Regulations 2007

Corcoran said that Teliuk’s actions constituted “a breach of trust and taking advantage of the warm welcome” he received from the Irish State in 2022.

She said that “this is deception”.

Corcoran said the circumstances of the case warrant that a message be sent out.

She said: “Absolutely we will support where appropriate that payments be given to all individuals that are entitled to, but the State should not be taken advantage of and this is what occurred here."

Cororcan said that Teliuk “knew well that when he left Ireland that he could not claim when he wasn’t resident here from the Irish state while he was couch-surfing in Scotland”.

Corcoran said that what Teliuk did “is unacceptable on any level” and his offence is moving towards “a custodial element”.

The judge said that she would impose a three-month prison term but if the Probation Service found that Teliuk is suitable for community service, Teliuk would carry out 90 hours community service in lieu of the three months in prison.

In the prosecution taken by the Dept of Social Protection, State Solicitor for Clare, Aisling Casey told the court that Teliuk arrived here from Ukraine in 2022 and completed an application in June 2022 for financial support in the form of job seeker’s allowance.

Casey said that on September 14th it had come to the attention of the Dept of Social Protection that Teliuk had left the jurisdiction.

Casey said that in June 2023, Teliuk notified the department of a new address provided and he stated that he travelled to Scotland and London for a period of six days.

Casey however said that investigations found that Teliuk travelled to Scotland in September 2022 and didn’t return until April 2023 and he was out of the country for quite a period of time

Corcoran said: “So for seven months he was residing in another country and we were paying him?”

Casey said that this was the case and the loss to the State in the case is €4,868 and Teliuk has been repaying it back at a rate of €10.

Casey said that Teliuk is not currently in receipt of any State benefit.

Solicitor, Daragh Hassett for Teliuk “is very sorry that he betrayed the trust of the state”.

Hassett said that Teliuk was homeless here and he moved to Scotland where a person had accommodation, “and of course he should have cancelled his benefits here and he didn’t do so”.

Hassett said that Teliuk told "the Department that he didn’t understand and the Department was not too impressed with that explanation and I’m sure you would not be either judge".

Hassett said that Teliuk “has seen things in his country that he shouldn’t have seen with the war and he has struggled with his mental health”.

Hassett said: “Mr Teliuk doesn’t have work but he should have work.”

The judge adjourned the case to May 8th to see if Teliuk is suitable for community service.