A 'MODERN day Robin Hood' who handed out tens of thousands of pounds of public money to friends and acquaintances has been jailed for 18 months.

Steven Shaw abused his position as a housing benefit officer at Swindon Borough Council to make scores of overpayments to people he thought were struggling to get by.

The father-of-three made illicit payments totalling £55,611.92p to friends he knew through his son's junior football as well as to the woman who cut his hair.

But despite the 36-year-old insisting he never made a penny from what he had a done a judge jailed him for 18 months.

Coin Meeke, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court how Shaw worked for Capita on a contract with the borough council.

"He had started effectively at the bottom of the office and worked his way up and became, effectively, the manager of that section with overall control of payments and credits in that system. He was in a particular position of trust.

"The council became aware of payments for which they could find no legitimate basis so examined the whole of the payments history Mr Shaw had credited. In short he had made 93 payments to a number of people."

He gave money to about 10 people, ranging from a single payment to one woman of £776, up to 18 payments totalling almost £9,000 to another.

"These were all sum of money credited, paid through the housing benefit system to people he knew or was acquainted with," he said.

When he was first questioned by his bosses he insisted he had done nothing wrong and kept to that story when the police spoke to him.

Mr Meeke said: "What is peculiar is there is no evidence that the money was sought by the recipients, that he was in any way beholden to the recipients.

"There was no evidence that the defendant himself personally benefitted financially from the sums. It remains something of a mystery unless it is simply to curry favour with people."

Shaw, of Lineacre Close, Grange Park, pleaded guilty to fraud between October 26, 2011, and Monday November 17 last year.

Mike Pulsford, defending, told the court his client had never been in trouble with the police before and his wife was a carer for their youngest child who has medical issues.

He said there was a suggestion from the probation officer that Shaw 'got a buzz each time he pressed the button for an overpayment'.

"He just felt he could give these overpayments to these people who were struggling financially day by day. The common theme is the youth football team.

"He is a man who comes before you who admits being a modern day Robin Hood.

"The local exchequer being used to distribute funds to the people of the town through his actions.

"It is a bizarre case. Mr Shaw himself can't really understand how he got himself in to this position."

Jailing him, Judge Peter Blair QC, said: "You were in a position with your employers where your complete honesty was a requisite for your employment.

"Courts pass severe penalties on people like this not just to punish them for what they have done but as a warning to others that prison is the result for behaviour like that."

Single mum Melanie Barrow, 26, of Lumley Close, Grange Park, pleaded guilty to retaining a wrongful credit and was put on a one-year community order with 100 hours of unpaid work and £600 compensation.

Between February 2012 and July last year, she received £7,243.26 she was not entitled to and did not take adequate steps to repay it.

Four people from West Swindon were dealt with by magistrates after admitting retaining a wrongful credit.

David Gale, 45, of Chalgrove Field, retained £7,842.56p and was put on a three month curfew with £500 compensation.

Jodie O'Brien, 32, of Leslie Close, got £1,200 and was told to do 70 hours of community service and pay £500 compensation.

Rachael Wells, 35, of Leslie Close, had £8,680.62p and was told to do 90 hours of unpaid work with £500 compensation.

Emma Tanner, 30, of Bloomsbury Close, retained £7,370 and was told to do 90 hours of community service.