Former Ipswich and England central defender Kevin Beattie has admitted benefit fraud totalling almost £9,000.

He pleaded guilty at Ipswich Magistrates’ Court today to receiving the cash over a two-year period and failing to notify a change of circumstances affecting his entitlement to benefits.

Beattie, 58, has been a popular summariser at some Ipswich games covered by BBC Radio Suffolk for a number of years.

He was given a curfew order until August 14 this year that forbids him from leaving his Ipswich council house between 10pm and 6am.

Beattie, who won nine England caps in the 70s and was also voted Town’s all-time best player in two separate supporters’ polls, was also told to pay £50 costs.

Carlisle-born Beattie, whose career was plagued by injury, played 307 games and scored 32 goals before retiring in 1982. He later made a few appearances for Colchester and Middlesbrough, and also had a spell in Norwegian football.

He was the first winner of the PFA Young Player of the Year award in 1974 and four years later won an FA Cup medal when Ipswich beat Arsenal at Wembley.

Beattie missed the UEFA Cup Final in 1981after he suffered a broken arm in the FA Cup semi-final defeat by Manchester City but he made eight appearances in earlier rounds and was later awarded a medal by UEFA.

Story syndicated from TWTD.co.uk

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