The Crown alleged the pair were living together as a same-sex couple between 2007 and 2010 when Morgan was applying for benefits as a single man. Photo / File
A jury for a trial of two men accused of failing to declare their de-facto relationship in order to claim benefits has failed to reach a verdict on all but one charge.
Daniel Morgan, 37, and Matthew Goodall, 41, were on trial in the Napier District Court this week for
benefit fraud charges beginning in 2007.
Morgan was charged with eight counts of dishonestly using a document, while Goodall, a former Work and Income employee, was facing one charge of dishonestly using a document.
The Crown alleged the pair were living together as a couple between 2007 and 2010 when Morgan was applying for benefits as a single man.
Defence lawyers for the pair said they split in 2006 and were not a couple at the time the benefits were being applied for.
