Paul DiAnno Jailed.

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The Plumber That Rocks
The former lead singer of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden has been jailed for nine months for benefit fraud.

Paul Andrews – better known to fans as Paul Di'Anno – claimed £45,000 in benefits while he was touring around the world, sometimes playing to crowds of 10,000 people.

The 52-year-old, who was a member of Iron Maiden between 1978 and 1981, had claimed he could not work after he was injured leaping off a stage.

But he was caught when videos posted on YouTube of him performing were spotted by Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) investigators.

James Newton-Price, prosecuting, told Salisbury crown court that Andrews claimed income support, housing benefit and council tax handouts despite touring between 2002 and 2008.

Sentencing Andrews, who lives in Salisbury, Jane Miller QC, told him: "Your public persona is not relevant. Your greed has cost this country a lot of money. The claims were for a long time and for a large cost. It must be a custodial sentence.

"In 2002 you started claiming benefits when it was quite clear you were already working. It took many years to track you down. In 2007 you performed at 69 venues, in 2006 you performed 67 times."

Andrews admitted eight counts of benefit fraud. A confiscation hearing to settle payments the singer owes to the DWP will be heard in June.

Andrews left Iron Maiden after three years and was replaced as lead singer by Bruce Dickinson.

Andrews arrived at court wearing a grey suit, black shirt and woolly hat. He sported two ear-rings and a goatee beard and was using a walking stick.

A former butcher and chef, Andrews left the group in 1981 in acrimonious circumstances.

Andrews was told he would serve at least four and a half months of his jail term behind bars before being released on conditional bail.


Norty Boy :anorak:
 
Di'Anno was once imprisoned for 4 months in Los Angeles after fighting with his new girlfriend there. He was also arrested for spousal abuse, cocaine possession and firearms offences. While in prison Di'Anno started writing songs for Iron Maiden's 2nd album Killers.
He's a troubled man, I must say :(
 
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