A ROBBIE Williams impersonating benefits cheat has been slapped with a dusk til dawn curfew by a judge to prevent him carrying out his tribute acts over Christmas.

James Crockett, 43, who performs under the stage name of Andy James, failed to notify the Department for Work and Pensions of a change in circumstances which would effect his entitlement to Incapacity Benefit.

Prosecutor Emma Downing told Bradford Crown Court today that Crockett was overpaid £8,463 over a 12-month period in 2012.

Miss Downing said Crockett first claimed the benefit in 2004, but his health had improved by 2012, and he failed to inform the DWP of the change, despite being asked at a number of appointments.

Miss Downing said he was performing in the UK and Tenerife as a karaoke compere and a tribute act to Robbie Williams, Take That and Michael Buble.

When interviewed he accepted working but claimed ignorance of the benefits system.

In mitigation, Crockett's barrister, Charlotte Worsley, said he had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity, was repaying the claims at £40 a month, and was ashamed and embarrassed. He had had real health difficulties over the years.

But Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC said it was an outrageous offence that caused disgust in the eyes of the public.

He told Crockett he had been overpaid about £8,500, but "all the while you were strutting your stuff on various stages, in this country and abroad, impersonating a singer I am led to believe achieved a degree of popularity."

Judge Durham Hall said Crockett's offending was deliberate and wilful.

He added: "The public is fed up and outraged when they pay their taxes, if they are lucky enough to have a job, and then see somebody living to some extent an interesting, if not high, life and pocketing £8,500.

"It was firmly my intention that you had to go to prison, but then I realised the sentence I could impose was so short as to be derisory."

The judge said he could give the defendant full credit for an early guilty plea and for him recognising that what he had done was wrong.

He imposed a 12-month community order, with 150 hours of unpaid work and a three-month curfew between 7pm and 7am. He added that he expected the curfew to be enforced to the letter.

Judge Durham Hall told Crockett: "I don't find it attractive that you should be able to negotiate departures from the court order so that you can go off and do your tribute acts over the Christmas period."

He also ordered Crockett, of Swadford Street, Skipton, to pay prosecution costs at £40 per month.