Joke over as £26,000 fraudster sent to jail

A serial prankster has been jailed for £26,000 benefit fraud after being caught out by his own vanity.

Karl Power was spotted in a line-up with Manchester United players, one of several sports hoaxes designed to catapult him into the media limelight.

But the stunt backfired when authorities received an anonymous tip-off about his life outside the photo.

The 37-year-old father was entitled to claim benefits after a machete attack in 1994 left him severely disabled and unable to work. But he failed to declare a change of

circumstances when he moved in with a girlfriend and continued claiming more than he should have done.

Power casually strolled on to a pitch to appear with Roy Keane, Ryan Giggs and their team-mates before a Champions League match against Bayern Munich in 2001 as part of a stunt.

He did not attempt to disguise himself because he was naive and had done lots of 'daft things', Manchester Crown Court heard.

Power, who has a long record for theft, burglary, drink-driving and police assault, has also played on the Centre Court at Wimbledon and stood on the winner's podium at Silverstone for laughs.

Judge Anthony Ensor told him: 'You were caught by your own vanity, by your addiction to self-publicity in outwitting security at sporting events.'

Power, from Tameside, Manchester, was jailed for six months on Wednesday.

Showman to the end, he gave a thumbs-up sign to friends as he was led to cells.