Clairvoyant Timothy Abbott swindled almost £70,000 in disability benefit by claiming he could barely walk . A clairvoyant who swindled almost £70,000 in disability benefit by claiming he could barely was jailed after he was filmed working out in a gym . Spiritualist Timothy Abbott , 53 , conned the taxpayer out of thousands of pounds in disability , council tax and housing benefits along with his wife Jeanette , 46 . The couple pocketed a total of £170,000 during their 16-year scam , including Mr Abbott taking £35,496 in incapacity benefit and £22,848 in disability living allowance . The medium was filmed lifting heavy dumbbells , using an exercise bike , rowing machine and running on a treadmill and pleaded guilty to two counts of failing to notify the Department of Work and Pensions ( DWP ) of a change in circumstances . Mr Abbott also admitted conning HMRC out of £9,532 by failing to pay income tax or national insurance contributions . Meanwhile his wife falsely claimed £19,477 in disability allowance and £713 in incapacity benefit , along with £1,000 in council tax benefit , Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard . Investigators filmed her bending down and carrying a heavy shoulder bag while on a shopping trip in 2012 . She also failed to pay £37,000 worth of income support and conned Staffordshire County Council out of £44,000 in housing benefits . On his website , Abbott is described as being one of Britain 's most 'evidential platform Mediums ' . It goes on to say he was aware of the spirit world from the age of 19 before he 'embarked on his journey of development ' by studying for over 30 years . His services are apparently in demand in countries such as Austria , Germany , Switzerland , Norway , Iceland and Canada . He and his wife lived together in a modern £200,000 detached house in Stafford until their scam , which went on for 16 years between 1998 and 2014 , was rumbled . Mr Abbott - who advertises himself as an 'international spiritualist clairvoyant medium and tutor ' - was yesterday jailed for eight months . Mrs Abbott admitted three counts of failing to notify the DWP of a change in circumstances , one count of making a false statement and one of falsely obtaining benefits by deception . She was handed an eight-month prison sentence , suspended for 18 months . Abbott 's scam was rumbled after investigators filmed him working out in a gym and lifting dumbbells . Abbott ( pictured on a rowing machine ) also admitted conning HMRC out of £9,532 by failing to pay income tax or national insurance contributions . The medium pleaded guilty to two counts of failing to notify the Department of Work and Pensions ( DWP ) of a change in circumstances after he was filmed in a gym while claiming thousands in disability benefits . His wife Jeanette also falsely claimed a raft of benefits and was handed an eight-month prison sentence , suspended for 18 months . After the case , a DWP spokesman said : 'Benefit fraud is a crime and we are dedicated to catching those who commit it . 'Only a small minority of benefit claimants are dishonest , but cases like this cost the taxpayer money that should be used to help those in need . 'We are determined to find those who we suspect are cheating the system by following up on tip-offs , undertaking surveillance and working with local councils . ' A proceeds of crime hearing on June 30 will determine how much the couple must pay back . Speaking after the sentencing , Mrs Abbott said : 'It has been two and half years of hell and I do n't really want to talk about it as my husband got put away yesterday . It 's killing me . ' 'In our opinion the truth has not been fully told and we feel very unfairly treated . '
Spiritualist Timothy Abbott , 53 , jailed for £170,000 disability benefit scam . He was paid almost £70,000 in benefits while claiming he could hardly walk . DWP was filmed working out in a gym and lifting heavy dumbbells . His wife Jeanette , 53 , also falsely claimed thousands of pounds in benefits . Mr Abbott jailed for eight months and wife given suspended sentence .