A benefits cheat who pocketed £15,000 claiming he could barely walk was caught out after being secretly filmed playing in midfield for his pub football team . Raymond Billam , of Bolton-on-Dearne , South Yorkshire said he was severely disabled because of problems with his knees and back as he claimed incapacity benefits . But unknown to him , fraud investigators had been tipped off and secretly filmed the 38-year-old playing football for his Sunday league side . Raymond Billam ( left ) pocketed £15,000 claiming he could barely walk - but was caught out after being secretly filmed playing in midfield for his pub football team . The 38-year-old ( centre after passing the ball during a Sunday league game ) said he was severely disabled because of problems with his knees and back - but was still able to play as a midfielder in his pub side . Caught out : Fraud investigators had been tipped off and secretly filmed Billam ( left ) playing football for his Sunday league side . Billam claimed he needed crutches to get around and was virtually unable to walk more than a few metres unaided , a court heard . But for nearly five years between 2008 and 2013 he pulled on the green shirt of Ingsfield Lane in the Mexborough and District Sunday League , South Yorkshire , putting in crunching tackles and running several miles in a match . Billam admitted defrauding the Department of Work and Pensions by pocketing £15,000 in benefits to which he was not entitled . Barnsley Magistrates Court was told by prosecutor Julie Grant that he played 87 games mainly for pub sides over several seasons . She added : 'Mr Billam said he could only walk 20 metres before he felt discomfort . Investigators saw him playing football . He was running and jumping . Billam had claimed he needed crutches to get around - but a court heard that he had been playing football regularly for five years . Billam ( pictured right ) pulled on the green shirt of Ingsfield Lane in the Mexborough and District Sunday League between 2008 and 2013 . The 38-year-old ( right ) admitted defrauding the Department of Work and Pensions by pocketing £15,000 in benefits to which he was not entitled . 'Mr Billam said when he was quizzed that he had good days and bad days . 'He said other people may have played football using his name . He became coy when he was asked further questions . ' District Judge John Foster warned Billam he could be sent to prison . He said : 'The nature of the deception and the amount of money falsely claimed means I do not rule out jail or sending you to the crown court for a stiffer sentence than can be imposed here . ' Billam 's solicitor Chris Peace reserved his right to put his defence later . He will be sentenced next month and was granted unconditional bail . A spokesman for the DWP fraud team said : 'Billam was very brazen about what he was doing . 'It 's hard to believe someone can think they are entitled to incapacity benefits because they claim they ca n't walk far without assistance . 'Yet we observed him on three consecutive Sundays , running around , jumping and heading the ball and putting in some strong tackles . '
bin Billam claimed he had severe problems with his knees and back . The 38-year - old said he was severely disabled and needed crutches to heal . But for five years he had been working for a pub club in South Yorkshire . Fraud investigators secretly taught him ' running and jumping ' during match . He later admitted receiving $ 15,000 in benefits that he was not entitled to .