An unemployed man who had not eaten for three days set fire to a job centre in order to get a hot meal in police custody, according to the Manchester Evening News.
An unemployed man who had not eaten for three days because his benefits had been stopped set fire to a job centre in order to get a hot meal in police custody, according to the Manchester Evening News.
Bee O’Brien, 49, set fire to the customer telephones at a jobcentre in Moss side after a row about his benefits.
O’Brien told police he would “commit a crime and get arrested. I need some food”.
According to the Evening News:
‘O’Brien, of Camelford Close, Hulme, admitted criminal damage, attempted arson, and using threatening words and behaviour when he appeared before Manchester magistrates.
Gina Clayton, defending, said: “His benefits had been stopped for some reason and he hadn’t eaten for three days. He was simply desperate for some food. He went to the job centre to get his payments and lost his temper.
“He was aware that if he was arrested he would have been given food at the police station.”’
O’Brien was given a 12 month community order and ordered to do 40 hours unpaid work.
Last month a disabled man took his own life after worrying about how he would manage once his benefits were stopped.
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128 Responses to “Tory Britain: Man sets fire to job centre after not eating for three days”
Frank the shoe
I guess his back was against the wall, being frustrated he lost his temper.
Better he just walked around a supermarket and ate something as he went, if found out , he would just be ejected without any criminal charges.
Katryn4
and here are the fat cats eating lot’s of luxury food paid for by the tax payer!!
sickening!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/banksandfinance/9673847/David-Camerons-Lord-Mayors-Banquet-speech-in-full.html
Gary
Yes Frank but then who would have heard about that (not that I am saying his intention was to be in the news) but he would have just become another crime stat then!
Ann
Benefits can be stopped for being a couple of minutes late for an appointment, forgetting a document, not being able to produce information, not being able to get a doctor’s certificate because your doctor’s receptionist wont give you an appointment for a fortnight, not being able to prove you have looked for work because employers can’t reply to the hundreds of applicants who apply for jobs. And that benefit can be sanctioned for weeks…
And benefit is a meagre, mean amount, that is meant to cover only food and warmth… it bears no relation to the amount of money needed to keep your home going, clothe yourself and also to service the process needed to make claiming benefit and seeking work actually possible. An unemployed person HAS to have access to the internet 8 hours a day to ensure they apply for all the jobs that might be viable, and loads that are not, to fulfil their job-seeking agreement.
And money for food MUST never, ever be withheld from anyone. That’s akin to attempted manslaughter.
Dave
The DWP are simply a set of vindictive little cunts. They have quotas to stop people’s benefits for whatever reason they want. The majority of the staff speak to you like you’re a worthless piece of shit (wonder if this is undisclosed policy?) they will try anything to get you off their dirty hands. Enough is enough, remember fight them for everything you deserve and are entitled to. If you have paid taxes and NI you are entitled to some of that back it’s what was agreed and made law. Fight them all the way.