Former Lib Dem Councillor spared jail

Tabasum Aslam the former Lib Dem councillor for Heckmondwike was spared jail (like there was every any possibility of that happening!) for attempting to fraudulently obtain benefits.
The judge ruled out any possibility of a jail sentence saying that; 'the loss of his good name and character' were punishment enough.
Which name would that be then? His real one? Or one of the one's he uses to fill out his benefit forms?
And how is it possible for someone standing as a Lib Dem to have a good name in the first place?
The mind boggles!
Apprently he filled in a form for his mother claiming that she was renting the house (that he, his brother and his mother owned) from his brother. All using various names that he and his family go by.
The 'community' must be very proud of him.
He also tried fiddling his council tax.
He was eventually given a two year conditional discharge and ordered to pay £2,500 court costs.
His defending barrister Richard Clews said without any hint of irony that;
"this is not a criminal fraudster trying to enrich himself. This was a man trying to get on the property ladder.
All he was trying to do was keep his head above water."
Its must be a real struggle trying to keep your head above water when you're trying to mange on a measly 47 grand a year. The poor man.
The judge said after passing sentence that: "the criminal convictions and loss of your good name and character is the main punishment in this case."
He could always use one of his other names i suppose.

Read the story here.