The former lead singer of heavy metal band Iron Maiden is facing jail after he was exposed as a benefit cheat.
Paul Andrews, 52, claiming he suffered nerve damage in his back which prevented him from working but a video posted on YouTube showed him jumping around on stage during a live show.
Known and idolised by millions worldwide as frontman Paul Di'Anno, the heavily tattooed rocker admitted in court to swindling taxpayers out of more than £45,000.
They included wrongly claiming income support of more than £10,000 between 2005 and 2008.
The bald, goatee-bearded former star - fired by Maiden in 1981 under a cloud of drug-taking allegations he always denied - was caught out when Department of Work and Pensions investigators saw the 2006 YouTube video of him.
Andrews, whose former group Iron Maiden had huge hits including Run To The Hills and The Number Of The Beast, was still performing on stage and releasing records.
Investigators had been given an anonymous tip-off that he was still singing.
They then found footage, from his own website and video sharing site YouTube, which showed Andrews energetically leaping around on stage, singing to fans.
The singer, whose autobiography - titled The Beast - bills him as the 'wildest man in rock', even released fresh material while stashing benefits.
Andrews' solo album 'The Living Dead' came out in 2006.
Glory days: Andrews, centre, pictured with Iron Maiden in 1981 before he was thrown out the band later that year
He was eventually arrested last year at Heathrow and charged with fraud.
In court, he was told to 'prepare' for a jail sentence after admitting eight counts of benefit fraud at Salisbury Crown Court yesterday.
Honorary Recorder Judge Andrew Barnett: 'You have got the sense and courage to plead guilty to these matters, but you have to understand that they are very serious.
'Although all sentence options will be open, you should prepare yourself for a prison sentence - and an immediate one at that.'
Andrews was the energetic frontman of Iron Maiden when they took the world by storm and shot to fame between 1978 and 1981.
Facing jail: Andrews illegally claimed £45,479 of benefits. He was caught when investigators saw a YouTube video of him performing in 2006
Facing jail: Andrews illegally claimed £45,479 of benefits. He was caught when investigators saw a YouTube video of him performing in 2006.
But the court heard that from 2002 to 2008 he claimed a range of incapacity benefit, housing benefit and council tax handouts, by stating he was to ill to work.
He claimed to be suffering from sciatica, or nerve damage to the back.
Judge Bartlett adjourned yesterday's hearing until March 11 for a pre-sentence report to be compiled and granted him bail
The Department for Work and Pensions criticised Andrews for abusing his celebrity status.
A spokesman said: 'Benefit fraud is a crime. This money is intended to provide valuable support to those most in need, not line the pockets of people already earning substantial amounts from their celebrity status.
'Our welfare reforms and new strategy to tackle benefit fraud will make the system less open to abuse.'
Andrews, of Salisbury, Wilts., will be sentenced on March 11th.
The fallen star, who walked to the hearing with the aid of a stick, refused to comment as he left court.
). Looking forward to seeing this show in July. 
