By . Jenny Awford . Top referee David Rose, 50, outside Plymouth Crown Court where he was given a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £700 in fines after admitting to falsely claiming unemployment benefits . One of Britain's top rugby referees today admitted claiming unemployment benefit while officiating Premiership matches. David Rose, 50, claimed more than £700 in Job Seekers Allowance while working as a top referee – earning up to £696 per game in the Aviva rugby union league. He was handed a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £700 in costs at Plymouth Crown Court after admitting a charge of giving false information for obtaining benefits. The Premiership referee made an application for the benefit in February 2012 after being made redundant from his job as a project manager for the Rugby Football Union. But he failed to disclose his earnings from his work as a freelance referee and claimed £712 in benefits. Plymouth Crown Court heard that Rose had not thought of his refereeing as work and believed he did not need to disclose it as it was under the 16 hours a week threshold. Rose, from Plymouth, pleaded guilty to furnishing false information with the purpose of obtaining benefits between 17 February 2013 and 22 February 2013. Prosecutor Adrian Chaplin said: 'He had been made redundant from his work with the Rugby Football Union where he had been a project manager . 'He didn't say he was earning money from it. What he had been doing since his full time employment was working on an as and when basis for the Rugby Football Union. 'He had been refereeing rugby football matches and had been receiving income up to the time of his application and continued doing this. 'It would seem he reffed on the 15 February and received £696. 'The day after his interview on the 21 February he reffed again on the 22 February for which he received the same amount.' Rose had been charged with two counts of fraud for dishonestly signing a claim form and fraud by false representation but the prosecution agreed to reduce this to one charge. The court was told of his 'glowing CV' which had seen him officiate hundreds of matches since 2001. Defending Sam Jones said: 'He hasn't worked as a referee since facing these charges, He was temporarily suspended and has remained so for the last 17 months. The referee officiated at hundreds of Premiership matches from 2001 and he was  paid up to £696 per game. He is seen (left) at the Aviva Premiership match between London Wasps and Leeds Carnegie at Adams Park on April 17, 2011 and (right) at a Guinness Premiership match in 2007 . 'It was a genuine error, one that he accepts looking back now that he should have provided that information at the time.' Judge Graham Cottle sentenced Rose to a conditional discharge of 12 months and a £700 fine. He told him: 'You are an intelligent man. You have had a good and successful career concentrated principally around the game of rugby. Rose sprints to keep up with Jordan Turner-Hall of Harlequins during the Guinness Premiership match between Harlequins and Bristol at the Stoop on October 6, 2007 in Twickenham . 'It's at the very least odd that you should have thought you didn't need to disclose this information. 'I accept the submission that there has been a significant impact of this case professionally and also privately and that there may have well been for some period of time damage to your reputation.' The Rugby Football Union refused to comment on whether Rose would be able to continue working as a referee. Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) is paid to help unemployed people and those who are on a low income and looking for a job. If you have paid enough National Insurance contributions you’ll be given a non-means-tested contribution-based JSA and those who haven't will be paid a means-tested income based JSA. It is at least £57.35 a week to help you while you look for work. To claim JSA you need to be: .
David Rose, 50, pleaded guilty to giving false information to obtain benefits .
He was handed a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £700 .
Rose claimed Job Seeker's Allowance despite earning up to £696 per game .
The referee has officiated hundreds of high-profile matches since 2001 .
By . Jenny Awford . Top referee David Rose, 50, outside Plymouth Crown Court where he was given a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £700 in fines after admitting to falsely claiming unemployment benefits . One of Britain's top rugby referees today admitted claiming unemployment benefit while officiating Premiership matches. David Rose, 50, claimed more than £700 in Job Seekers Allowance while working as a top referee – earning up to £696 per game in the Aviva rugby union league. He was handed a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £700 in costs at Plymouth Crown Court after admitting a charge of giving false information for obtaining benefits. The Premiership referee made an application for the benefit in February 2012 after being made redundant from his job as a project manager for the Rugby Football Union. But he failed to disclose his earnings from his work as a freelance referee and claimed £712 in benefits. Plymouth Crown Court heard that Rose had not thought of his refereeing as work and believed he did not need to disclose it as it was under the 16 hours a week threshold. Rose, from Plymouth, pleaded guilty to furnishing false information with the purpose of obtaining benefits between 17 February 2013 and 22 February 2013. Prosecutor Adrian Chaplin said: 'He had been made redundant from his work with the Rugby Football Union where he had been a project manager . 'He didn't say he was earning money from it. What he had been doing since his full time employment was working on an as and when basis for the Rugby Football Union. 'He had been refereeing rugby football matches and had been receiving income up to the time of his application and continued doing this. 'It would seem he reffed on the 15 February and received £696. 'The day after his interview on the 21 February he reffed again on the 22 February for which he received the same amount.' Rose had been charged with two counts of fraud for dishonestly signing a claim form and fraud by false representation but the prosecution agreed to reduce this to one charge. The court was told of his 'glowing CV' which had seen him officiate hundreds of matches since 2001. Defending Sam Jones said: 'He hasn't worked as a referee since facing these charges, He was temporarily suspended and has remained so for the last 17 months. The referee officiated at hundreds of Premiership matches from 2001 and he was  paid up to £696 per game. He is seen (left) at the Aviva Premiership match between London Wasps and Leeds Carnegie at Adams Park on April 17, 2011 and (right) at a Guinness Premiership match in 2007 . 'It was a genuine error, one that he accepts looking back now that he should have provided that information at the time.' Judge Graham Cottle sentenced Rose to a conditional discharge of 12 months and a £700 fine. He told him: 'You are an intelligent man. You have had a good and successful career concentrated principally around the game of rugby. Rose sprints to keep up with Jordan Turner-Hall of Harlequins during the Guinness Premiership match between Harlequins and Bristol at the Stoop on October 6, 2007 in Twickenham . 'It's at the very least odd that you should have thought you didn't need to disclose this information. 'I accept the submission that there has been a significant impact of this case professionally and also privately and that there may have well been for some period of time damage to your reputation.' The Rugby Football Union refused to comment on whether Rose would be able to continue working as a referee. Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) is paid to help unemployed people and those who are on a low income and looking for a job. If you have paid enough National Insurance contributions you’ll be given a non-means-tested contribution-based JSA and those who haven't will be paid a means-tested income based JSA. It is at least £57.35 a week to help you while you look for work. To claim JSA you need to be: .
12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay Premiership matches. David Rose, 50, claimed more than £700 in Job Seekers Allowance while working as a top referee – earning up to £696 per game in the Aviva rugby union league. He was handed a admitting a charge of giving false information Plymouth, pleaded guilty to furnishing false hundreds of matches since 2001. Defending Sam