A former Ryedale businessman who worked "full throttle" while claiming sickness benefit today has a jail sentence hanging over his head.

Ian Frederick Lyons, 43, duped an insurance company and the Benefits Agency out of £12,553 over 14 months, said Andrew Woolman, prosecuting.

He claimed he was unable to work because he was suffering from depression.

But in reality he was "working full throttle doing all aspects of the work necessary to run his pig feed business," said Mr Woolman.

The salesman was busy all day, most evenings and weekends doing physical, manual and other work and started up a second business.

Divorcee Lyons, formerly of Yedingham, near Malton, pleaded guilty to eight counts of deception.

Judge Jacqueline Davies jailed him for six months, but suspended it for two years after reading medical and pre-sentence reports.

Patricia Harding, who owns properties in south-west England, told York Crown Court she had been Lyons' counsellor for four years, was housing him and his children and was willing to employ him as gardener and general maintenance man.

She said he had collapsed in June and been referred to a psychiatrist.

Mr Woolman said Lyons, a self-employed man, had claimed legitimately under an income protection policy with Equity and Law Insurance, when he fell ill in June 1996.

But he continued to claim sickness payments from both the insurance company and the Benefits Agency after November 1996 - when he was working. He dishonestly got £8,820 from the policy and £3,733 from benefits.

For Lyons, Graham Ford said he had not worked "full throttle" and had told the insurance company about some of his work.