A ROBBIE Williams impersonator illegally claimed nearly £8,500 incapacity benefits while he worked in Tenerife and the UK, a judge was told.

Benefits cheat James Crockett, 43, pleaded guilty at Bradford Crown Court yesterday to failing to notify the Department of Work and Pensions, between January 1, 2012, and December 29, 2012, of a change of circumstances to obtain Incapacity Benefit - namely that he was no longer incapable of work.

Prosecutor Emma Downing told the court Crockett was working in the Canaries and the UK as a tribute act, impersonating Robbie Williams, Take That and Michael Buble.

The court was told the amount of benefit involved was £8,463, and Crockett had been voluntarily repaying it at £40 a month since the start of the year.

But Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC said the public was "rightly outraged" that people received benefits when they were working, and the court had to take a dim view.

Judge Durham Hall said Crockett had deliberately and dishonestly deceived the country to the tune of more than £8,000. He said people who did that would go to prison unless it was possible to suspend it.

In mitigation, Crockett's barrister, Charlotte Worsley, said her client, who was of previous good character, was no longer on benefits.

She said he had suffered medical difficulties for a number of years, including a stroke, and was advised by his GP to move somewhere warm because of problems with his back, for which he had surgery in 2002 when he was nearly paralysed.

Miss Worsley said Crockett had made a remarkable recovery over the years and was managing to keep himself relatively fit with a strict diet, physiotherapy and exercises. But he still suffered from significant disabilities, she said.

His work was seasonal and sporadic and he might not now be employable because of his conviction.

Miss Worsley asked the judge to consider that it was a one-off offence and it was not fraudulent from the start.

But Judge Durham Hall said he did not think Crockett had any idea about the seriousness of his position.

He said he was not prepared to accept his word, and wanted to see full proof of his claimed disabilities before sentencing.

He added: "I would like the prosecution to have some opportunity to consider his financial position."

Adjourning sentencing until November 13, Judge Durham Hall said he was giving no indication, other than it passed the custody threshold. He added he might be persuaded to consider suspending a prison sentence.

He told Crockett: "I will be looking at your case with great care."

Crockett, of Swadford Street, Skipton, goes under the stage name Andy James.

His website proclaims: "If you want a really close encounter with Robbie Williams, there is only one choice."