THE jury in the trial of Poole councillor Daniel Martin was today (October 8) retiring to start its deliberations.

Martin, aged 32, of Kingcup Close, Broadstone, Poole, denies four charges of fraud by false representation.

It is alleged he failed to reveal savings of up to £27,000 in an ING bank account, while claiming Jobseekers’ Allowance.

Among his character witnesses, appearing at Dorchester Crown Court yesterday, were Dorset MP Annette Brooke and Borough of Poole councillor Graham Mason.

Martin insists a Department for Work and Pensions staff member, at Poole job centre in June 2006, told him she didn’t need to know about his savings.

Similarly, in a separate earlier claim at a Cardiff job centre in 2005, Martin insists a member of staff told him to submit the forms without details of his savings, and wait for a decision from the processing centre.

On both occasions, and two separate reviews after moving addresses, Martin insists full disclosure of all his savings were made.

During cross examination, Martin said of his 2006 Poole job centre claims interviewer: “She said something along the lines of, ‘Lots of you students are the same, you’ve all got debts and the means to pay them off. We don’t need to know about your ING account.’ “She then made a dismissive brushing movement with her arm.”

None of the Crown’s witnesses who interviewed him could recall any details of these conversations and none of them could recall whether or not he had produced full bank account details, the court was told.

Defending, Sean Brunton said: “Life isn’t black and white – tick boxes don’t always reflect the true position.”