Benefit fraud

Frankie Luders, 60, from Halifax, has been jailed for 27 weeks, which at more than six months, is three weeks for each of the nine offences. (h/t Dave)

He was previously convicted in 2013 of ten counts of benefit fraud and was still subject to the terms of the community order placed on him at that time when he committed his latest crimes, which included making multiple false statements, failing to declare changes of circumstances and giving a false document.

Luders dishonestly obtained more than £1600 of housing benefit by making claims at two addresses in Filey, which he did not live in, one after the other, and by counterfeiting a property owner’s signature. He also made claims for jobseeker’s allowance and employment and support allowance to DWP while working. The total value of benefits Luders took from the public purse was in excess of £6,000.

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Meanwhile, Greta Ure, from Rickmansworth, pleaded guilty to three charges of benefit fraud after claiming £92,427. She was sentenced to eight months custodial sentence, suspended for 18 months concurrent on each offence, and ordered to undertake 150 hours of unpaid work. (also h/t Dave)

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A Turkish man convicted of cheating the State out of more than £81,000 in benefits has walked free from Gloucester Crown Court after blaming his ex-wife for his predicament. (h/t Dave)

Resul Cerikan, 60, formerly of Penrith Road, Cheltenham, but now living in his car after being evicted from his rented home, had denied nine offences of making false statements to obtain benefits.

His case was that his British wife had 'duped' him and 'played him for a fool' by getting him to sign paperwork he had not realised he was signing and then having him 'kicked out of the matrimonial home' near Tetbury.

But at the end of a four-day trial the jury convicted him unanimously of seven of the charges and by a majority verdict on the other two charges.

His offences stemmed from him failing to declare his part ownership of a property in Sunground, Avening, near Tetbury, the court was told.

Recorder Malcolm Gibney sentenced Cerikan, who has prostate cancer, to 21 months jail suspended for two years with supervision for six months.

Cerikan's solicitor, Lloyd Jenkins, said Cerikan still protested his innocence and was 'somewhat troubled' by the jury's verdicts. "Whether or not those verdicts are grounds for appeal are a matter for another day and another court," he said. "But here and now he has to be content with the verdicts of the jury."

Mr Jenkins said Cerikan had come to the UK in 1985 and had worked hard, not relying on the State in any way, until 'things went wrong for him' when he had an accident which left him unable to work. "He is now sleeping in a car having been evicted from his home on September 14 by the local authority," said Mr Jenkins. "He was kicked out of his matrimonial home because she knew his rights but he didn't. She took advantage and played him for a fool."

Recorder Gibney told Cerikan "The jury has heard a lot of evidence about the way in which you came to claim benefits between 2002 and 2010. "They have convicted you of dishonestly making false statements on the relevant claim forms. As a result you secured benefits of over £80,000. The case is unusual. You are a 60-year-old man of hitherto good character. You came to this country in 1985 and worked diligently and assiduously in a variety of jobs, earning a good living. You had the misfortune to have an accident at work. You were then absent from work and you and your wife were in financial difficulties. That prompted an application for benefit. Unfortunately thereafter there followed a road traffic accident when you were hit by an uninsured driver. That has given rise to a significant injury and it made your position even more difficult when it came to secure employment.

"You and your then wife separated and divorced. You remained in the property which, it seems, she has lived in all her life. You were ignorant of the fact that you didn't have to leave and you were persuaded to leave. Over time, you were persuaded and cajoled by your ex wife to prevail on members of your family to help out to the point that over the years you and your ex wife were loaned something in excess of £100,000. The bulk of the money has been spent on the property which is of non standard construction and is not realistically mortgageable. Your wife, to a large extent, has spent the money on doing the place up and creating a comfortable environment to live in. Over time, on her own admission, she has on occasions tricked you into signing legal documentation in relation to the transfer of land adjacent to the property and in relation to loan documentation.

"To that extent you have been the author of her guile and have simply added to your own misfortune. But the jury has found that in other matters you knew what you were doing when you signed the forms. You are an intelligent and well educated man and you have a very good command of the English language.

"A benefits sum of this nature would normally mean an immediate prison sentence. But I am told and I accept that you are suffering from prostate cancer and as a result of these proceedings you have been evicted from your local authority home and are currently living in a vehicle. I have to respect the verdicts of the jury but as a result of the mitigation I have heard I think it is right, exceptionally, to suspend sentence.

"The local authority have their rights to pursue both you and, I venture to suggest, your ex-wife to recover the money that has been unlawfully spent keeping you and her in the property in which she still currently resides. "

Source

A husband and wife convicted of drug dealing and benefit fraud have been ordered to pay back more than £56,000.

Michael Daly, 47, and Julie Daly, 45, from Wythenshawe, were sentenced in June at Minshull Street Crown Court .

The court heard Daly was employed by a private company as a carpet fitter and deep cleaned aeroplanes at Manchester Airport. But he abused his position by smuggling drugs, hidden in the planes, into the country. It's believed Daly removed hidden drugs from the aircraft.

His wife denied any involvement with the drugs, but she was found to be fraudulently receiving state benefits from the Department of Work and Pensions.

Daly pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply drugs and money laundering. He was sentenced to four years and four months in prison, while his wife was given a suspended sentence after she admitted benefit fraud.

Following a further court hearing on Friday, the couple were ordered to pay back cash under the Proceeds of Crime Act or face an extended jail sentence.

Michael Daly was ordered to pay back £23,500 within three months or face a further 12 months in prison.

Julie Daly was ordered to pay back £33,571.45 within a deadline of three months or face 12 months in prison.

Financial investigator Keith Graham, of Greater Manchester Police’s Serious Crime Division, said: “What this case shows is that Greater Manchester Police do not stop when a criminal case concludes at court. I hope this sends a message we will track down the assets of criminals in whatever form they exist and use the powers under POCA to take these assets back.”

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A Kingsbury mother who fraudulently claimed £40,000 in housing benefit by concealing that her landlord was the father of her children has been jailed.

Anwar Mihsen, from Kingsbury, hid the information about Mohamed Jawad from Brent Council while claiming rental payments for two different properties between 2006 – 2010.

She also kept quiet about a joint bank account she held with Mr Jawad despite declaring two that were solely in her name.

Harrow Crown Court heard she provided the council with tenancy agreements and benefit forms which gave the name of her landlord as ‘Modeef Limited’.

However Modeef Limited was a dormant company that had never traded and that was unknown at the registered address given for it. Nor did the company own either of the properties and had no assets to its name.

Mishen was convicted by jury of benefit fraud and jailed for 18 months. She must also pay back the money.

Cllr Roxanne Mashari, Brent Council’s cabinet member responsible for welfare, said: “In a time of budget cuts, when we are all desperately trying to make our money go further, it is disgraceful that someone would deliberately scam us out of over £40,000.”

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A Redditch man who dishonestly claimed more than £4,000 in benefits has been fined by magistrates.

Dale Chapman, aged 40, was sentenced by Redditch Magistrates Court.

He pleaded guilty to dishonestly claiming housing benefit amounting to £4,345.28 for three separate periods between October 2013 and November 2014 by failing to declare that he was working as a service engineer.

The court heard that the offences are serious and that the overpaid benefit is being recovered by the council through their own methods.

Mr Chapman was given a fine of £55 which the magistrates said would have been greater had he not entered an early guilty plea. (!)

He was also ordered to pay a £20 victim surcharge and £100 court costs.

The investigation began as a result of a data match that matches electronic data within local authorities and HMRC to prevent and detect fraud.

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A benefits fraudster who moved into his garden shed while renting out his four bedroom council townhouse via Gumtree has finally been evicted.

John Gallagher, 64, was jailed in August after a court heard he could have raked in nearly £50,000 a year in rent and benefits from the house in Fulham, west London.

He lived in his converted garden shed, installing an en-suite bathroom and built-in wardrobe whilst illegally renting out the four bedrooms in the £750,000 terraced property.

The council charged the divorcee £139 a week for the house where he had lived for around 20 years.

Meanwhile, Gallagher charged 'tenants' up to £700 a month per room with an added £100 towards bills.

He also claimed up to £95,000 in income support, pension credits, housing benefit and council tax benefit.

In August, he was jailed for 10 months after admitting five counts of fraud against Hammersmith and Fulham Council and the Department of Work and Pensions.

The judge said his 'sophisticated' level of deception was too serious for a suspended sentence.

Now a court has awarded possession of the house back to the council, meaning it can now be allocated to another family.

The council said it had applied for a bailiff's warrant and is awaiting an eviction date.

Cllr Lisa Homan, Hammersmith and Fulham Council's Cabinet Member for Housing said: 'We will always pursue cases like this to ensure our housing stock is returned to those who genuinely need it. Mr Gallagher tried to cheat the system and thanks to great work from our housing and fraud teams, he is now behind bars and a much-needed home can be returned to proper use.'

The 64-year-old was snared after a tip-off to the council who launched an investigation.

Council fraud inspectors went to the house but Gallagher refused them entry to the garden and shed and stated he did not know where the key was to a locked bedroom on the second floor.

He said a male friend found in one of the rooms was visiting from east London, but could not provide the officers with his surname or date of birth.

Inspectors later cross-referenced the mobile telephone number Gallagher provided when he had applied for a parking permit against advertising website Gumtree. They also found adverts for rooms to rent, which the officers recognised as those they had seen earlier.

The full scale of his fraud was uncovered during a raid in the early hours of October 20, 2014.

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A mother of two who plundered more than £28,000 in benefits she wasn't entitled to has walked free from court.

Elaine Ivory, 44, claimed she was a single mum when in reality she was living with her husband who was in work and drawing a wage.

Despite hearing that Ivory had a previous caution for benefit fraud a judge imposed a suspended sentence.

Jonathan Underhill, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court how Ivory and husband Kyle initially made a joint claim for benefits in 2006. But in November 2007 she told the Department of Work and Pensions that she was living alone and up to June 2010 claimed £8,268.84 Job Seekers Allowance.

And about 16 months later she started to claim housing benefit and council tax from Wiltshire Council.

Between April 2009 and October 2011 she got £15,952.26 housing benefit and £4,080.47 council tax benefit she wasn't entitled to.

Mr Underhill said that throughout that period she had been living with her husband with joint tenancy and bills in both of their names.

Ivory, from Chippenham, admitted two counts of failing to notify a change in circumstance to obtain benefit. The court heard that in 2008 she was cautioned after it was discovered she was working for a company called Safe and Sound while claiming benefits.

James Burke, defending, said that the couple were in an uncertain relationship at the time which is why she didn't stop the claim. He said there was also an element of financial mismanagement as she sought to care for her children, now aged nine and 10, and she suffered dyslexia.

In the past he said she had worked as a member of door security and is now trying to get a forklift truck licence.

Passing sentence Judge Peter Blair QC said:

It won't have escaped you that television advert about shopping people for stealing essentially from the state when you are not entitled to benefits. It has been highly publicised. Whether you have got dyslexia or not you were aware and you have pleaded guilty to fraudulent activity which the guidelines clearly indicate should lead to prison sentences.

He imposed a 28-week jail term, suspended for a year, and told her to do 120 hours of unpaid work.

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With a caution for benefit fraud on her file, you would think her circumstances might have been monitored closely.

But no.

Two motorists who attempted to avoid paying parking charges by fraudulently using disabled “blue-badge” parking permits have been fined by Croydon magistrates. (h/t Dave)

Barrister Prithvijit Hoon displayed his dead mother’s disabled parking permit in his car as he worked in Croydon Crown Court on 22 April.

Hoon, 63, of Brookside Avenue, Wraysbury, Berkshire, pleaded guilty, in his absence, to using the blue badge in Fairfield Road, and was fined £60 and ordered to pay costs of £325.

Croydon magistrates, on 24 November, were told that a civil enforcement officer noted that the disabled parking permit displayed in a parked car had expired. The car was removed and subsequent enquiries revealed that the permit had been issued, by Ealing Council, to Mrs Roma Hoon, who had died in July, last year.

Hoon told the court, by letter, that, having arrived late for court and finding no immediately available parking space, he parked illegally, displaying the badge, which had not been returned to the issuing authority and was still in his car. He had expected his visit to be brief, but circumstances dictated that he be in court for most of the day, returning to collect his car after 5 pm.

Mr Hoon accepted his guilt immediately, saying: “I’m deeply ashamed of what I’ve done; it was a moment of aberration.”

Not "a moment" - he left it there for much of the day.

In another blue-badge fraud case on the same day, Natasha Notice, of Eresby Drive, Beckenham, was fined £60 and ordered to pay costs of £325.

The court was told that the 40-year-old, who did not attend court, was seen parking her car in Sydenham Road, Croydon, on 12 February and displaying a blue badge without the badgeholder being present.

She initially appealed the penalty charge, claiming that her nephew, the registered badgeholder, was with her at the time. However, following investigation and interview by the council’s corporate fraud team she made a full admission, stating that she had illegally parked the car while she was at work.

Councillor Mark Watson, cabinet member for communities, safety and justice, said:

Once again, selfish motorists have thought they could flout the law by callously abusing a facility designed make life easier for those among us who are not quite so able.

And, once again, they’ve learned to the cost of their wallet and, more importantly, their reputation, that Croydon is not the place to attempt this antisocial crime. Like others before them, they’ve been caught and made to pay the price.

Both cases took far too long to come to court.

A benefits cheat who scrounged £13,000 in handouts by posing as a single mum was caught after she bragged on Facebook that her partner was organising a family holiday.

Andrea Burton, 42, pocketed income support, housing benefit and tax credits without telling the authorities that Gary Williams, the father of her child, had moved in and they were living as husband and wife.

Investigators acting on a tip off checked Burton's Facebook and Twitter accounts to see messages saying Mr Williams was paying for a holiday.

She also posted messages about a burglary at her house in Burnley, Lancs, in which her partner's wallet had been stolen.

Inquiries revealed Mr Williams had also emailed his boss, changing his address to that of Burton's and his bank account was registered to her home, as was his passport and driving licence.

He was earning £1,700 a month and putting cash in the "family pot".

Burton admitted failing to promptly notify the Department for Work and Pensions of a change of circumstances, between September 2013 and October 2014, failing to disclose information, and failing to notify Burnley Borough Council of a change in circumstances.

She was given six weeks in jail, suspended for 12 months and ordered to pay £345 costs.

Prosecutor Alex Mann told Burnley Magistrates Court the defendant claimed benefits from 2012 and got income support, housing benefit and tax credits.

She claimed on the basis she was a single parent, with one dependent child and lived alone with no partner in the household.

The defendant stated she had no income other than child benefit.

Mrs Mann continued: "She failed to notify a change in circumstances, that Mr Williams was contributing to the family pot, and they were living as husband and wife."

Burton was interviewed and when asked about the financial aspects, at first she said Mr Williams paid for things needed for their child.

Mrs Mann said when the defendant was being investigated, the DWP looked into "all sorts of comments" on Facebook and Twitter.

In 2014 she posted her partner was organising a holiday and in June she commented on Facebook there had been a robbery, where Mr Williams' wallet had been taken from her house.

The prosecutor added: "It was not a fraud from the outset."

Nick Cassidy, defending Burton, said his client had an on/off relationship with Mr Williams, who she met in 2011.

It ended for quite a period but he moved in in 2013 when his father went to live in Wales.

The solicitor continued: "It appears now they are more like friends who share care of the child and bills, as opposed to a more conventional relationship."

Mr Cassidy said Burton was paying back the benefits money at £100 a month. He added: "She is very sorry for her actions. Through me, she formally apologises. She accepts fully it's her who made the benefits claim."

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A second successful prosecution has been completed in Cornwall under new Prevention of Social Housing Fraud Act legislation.

Carol Ann Broaders (60) formerly of Newham Road, Truro pleaded guilty at Truro Magistrates Court on Wednesday 9 December 2015 to one count of tenancy fraud after moving out of and then illegally subletting a council house.

In a prosecution led by Cornwall Council on behalf of Cornwall Housing Ltd, Mrs Broaders pleaded guilty to the fact that she moved out of the property and sublet it without the landlord’s (Cornwall Housing Limited) consent in breach of an express term of the tenancy, knowing that such conduct was dishonest and a breach of a term of the tenancy.

Miss Snowdon was given a £300 fine and was ordered to pay Cornwall Council’s full investigation and legal costs of £1,200 and a £30 Victim Surcharge.

Cornwall Council’s Corporate Fraud Team and Cornwall Housing Ltd have been working in partnership since August 2014 to tackle tenancy fraud.

Joyce Duffin, Cornwall Council Cabinet Member for Housing and Environment said: “It costs on average £18,000 a year to house a family in temporary accommodation. There is huge pressure on the supply of social housing making it imperative that the housing we do have available goes to people in genuine need of help. It’s totally wrong for people not to be living in housing intended for them and to be potentially illegally profiting from it at the same time.”

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A benefits cheat who pocketed £5,000 in disability handouts while claiming he was too ill to get out of bed was filmed performing as a male burlesque dancer called 'Ian Kognito'. (h/t Dave)

Mark Hetherington had tried to disguise himself with a mask as he performed his routines at clubs, festivals and at private parties across the UK, describing himself as 'the stripping ninja'.

But the 51-year-old from Blackpool, was caught out after investigators discovered he was working as a dancer and nude art class model while claiming Disability Living Allowance, and compiled a dossier of videos of his performances.

Hetherington admitted committing benefit fraud between May 2012 and August 2014, during which time he was overpaid £5,018 in handouts after he failed to disclose an improvement in his medical condition to the Department of Work and Pensions.

Malcolm Isherwood, prosecuting, told magistrates in Blackpool that Hetherington had claimed he could not get out of bed without assistance, could not cook for himself and needed assistance and support if he ever managed to leave his home. He also said he could not go into supermarkets, and was agoraphobic so going out would leave him suffering panic attacks. He claimed he hardly ever managed to sleep and needed help to clean his teeth.

'Hetherington said he was anxious all the time and especially in social circumstances and could not mix with others because of anxiety,' Mr Isherwood said. 'However the DWP started to investigate and discovered he was working as what is known as a "boylesque" dancer and also nude modelling for art classes. As a dancer he appeared across the UK in front of audiences and at private parties. Undercover investigators collated film of him as he worked. However he failed to tell the authorities his condition had improved.'

Hetherington learned his trade as a dancer from his girlfriend, grandmother Kathy Rowan who performs under the name Kozmic Kitty. He performs alongside Ms Rowan, whose performance involves wearing nipple tassels which are set on fire, as well as a balloon bursting act. She also works as a professional astrologer.

Mr Isherwood said that Hetherington was interviewed and claimed that his erotic dancing was a hobby and he did not earn much from it. 'He could not explain when asked how he was now coping with working with and being watched by perfect strangers,' said the prosecutor.

John McLaren, mitigating, said Hetherington had suffered a loss of confidence when he lost his job as a screen printer and his marriage broke up.

'He accepts he should have told the DWP that his confidence had improved and he was getting better,' he told the court. 'He was pulling himself around and this started with the life modelling. He was not paid a lot sometimes just £15 a time. The dancing came a bit later and friends encouraged him to do it. What he did to improve his life is not everyone's cup of tea but it is Mark Hetherington's cup of tea. He is now paying back the money at £10 a week.'

Hetherington was given a one year community order during which he must carry out 150 hours unpaid work, and was also ordered to pay £125 court costs.

Chairman of the bench Ian Robertson told him: 'Defrauding the public purse is a serious matter.'

Source with um bizarre pictures

A benefits cheat who received more than £26,000 after claiming he could not walk was caught out when he was filmed strolling into a job centre.

Darren Matthews, 44, from Salford, cheated the state out of thousands over a seven-year period, claiming his disabilities were so obstructive that he could not perform simple tasks, including chopping vegetables and putting on his socks. The father of five also said that he had arthritis in his knees, hips, wrist, elbows, back and fingers and that he could not even walk five yards.

While in the job centre, Matthews, who has a masters degree in law, allegedly acted as a legal representative for another claimant, who was being quizzed by an official about another benefit scam.

Cannock Magistrates' Court heard that he had originally received payments for a minor disability but his condition had rapidly improved by 2007.

Matthews, who worked in a hair salon and performed in karaoke competitions while he was claiming, said he sent letters to the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) in an effort to let them know his condition had improved and that he assumed it had been received.

Roger Bleazard, prosecuting, said: 'Mr Matthews is an intelligent man and would have known his payments should have decreased had he sent such a letter. A tribunal found no sign of disability in 2006 and that remained so throughout the period. Mr Matthews' mobility and care needs improved substantially and he failed to declare a change in situation.'

When officials became suspicious, Matthews' salon was put under surveillance and he was seen cutting hair, walking unaided to deposit money at a bank and 'play fighting' with others at the premises.

Matthews told the court he was embarrassed about his actions but maintained he never intended to cheat the system. He said: 'I made a mistake. I firmly believed I had notified the DWP, I did send letters but I do not know where they went. I should have contacted them to find out if they had been received. I had no intention to defraud anybody or deprive the public purse - I only wanted what I was entitled to. I made a mistake and for that I am embarrassed and can only say sorry.'

Matthews, who was found guilty of failing to notify a change in circumstances following a trial, was jailed for 26 weeks.

Presiding magistrate Colin Evans said: 'You are an intelligent man and clearly knew what you were doing.'

Source with video

Trickster Thomas Wilkinson claimed to have been unable to walk very far as a result of osteoarthritis. (h/t Dave)

But the 67-year-old was regularly appearing on stage at around £250-a-time as part of the Blues Brothers tribute act Elwood and Jake.

Wilkinson's bout of dishonesty did not end there as he also performed at other venues as a popular Motown and Northern Soul DJ.

He had been collecting the disability living allowance since 1996, and incapacity benefit since 1994.

Department of Work and Pensions investigators tipped off about the scam discovered he had been fit enough to perform in the Blues Brothers tribute act for seven years until the fraud was uncovered last year.

Wilkinson from Bournes Hill, Halesowen confessed he had illegally obtained benefits totalling £21,266.09 between June 2007 and July last year, involving both disability living allowance and incapacity benefit.

He admitted two charges of failing to notify authorities of a change in circumstances. At Wolverhampton Crown court he was given an eight-month sentence suspended for two years.

Mr Paul Mytton, prosecuting, said Wilkinson initially started claiming benefits lawfully due to struggles with osteoarthritis which at one stage left him 'unable to walk very far'.

"All would have been well in terms of his benefits if that had remained the position," Mr Mytton said. "But it became known to the authorities that he was working in the period from June 2007 as a DJ and entertainer. All of [the crowds who watched him] said he didn't seem to have any problems walking. The result of that was over the seven-year period covered by the charges he was overpaid a total of £21,266.09. He admitted to police effectively that he should have notified the authorities, but said he wasn't as mobile as had been claimed."

Mr Gurdeep Garcha, defending, said Wilkinson - who appeared at court with a walking stick - had no previous convictions and being dragged through the courts has given him 'a very salutary lesson'. He also told the court his client is currently taking 14 different types of medication a day and seeing five different consultants for a variety of ailments. Mr Garcha said: "When one actually looks at how much was overpaid per year, it's relatively modest."

Judge Nicholas Webb handed Wilkinson an eight-month sentence suspended for two years. The judge said: "You're a man of good character but you've effectively committed a fraud on the taxpayer over a period of years, which brought you a sum of £21,000 you shouldn't have had.

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A self-employed man from Urmston who pretended to be jobless to claim more than £60,000 in benefits has been jailed for two years.

Jason Larkin, 44, formerly of Stretford Road, was convicted of dishonestly obtaining £62,044.28 in Income Tax, Employment and Support Allowance, Council Tax Benefit and Council Tax Support at Manchester Crown Court last week.

He pretended to Trafford Council and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) that he was not working for five years, despite being self-employed.

Council counter fraud officers were alerted to this case by Greater Manchester Police, who had been investigating Larkin for other non-related offences.

Having pleaded guilty, Larkin was sentenced to two years in prison, and Trafford Council and DWP are in the process of recovering all of the fraudulently-claimed money.

“The council will not stop in its quest to ensure only those people who are entitled to benefit support receive support,” said Cllr Patrick Myers, Trafford Council’s executive member for finance. "The prison sentence Mr Larkin received in particular highlights the potential consequences fraudsters face and should be a stark warning to anyone."

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A carer who claimed more than £18,000 in benefits she was not entitled to had received a caution for an identical offence two years earlier.

Kirsty Wilcox, 27, received the certificate of caution from East Riding Council on February 15, 2010, for failing to inform the local authority she had gained employment while claiming housing and council tax benefit.

However, Hull Crown Court heard how Wilcox claimed a total of £18,803.19 in "numerous benefits" that she was not entitled to between early 2012 and September last year.

She pleaded guilty at a previous hearing to three counts of dishonestly obtaining benefits and two counts of failing to notify the authorities of a change in circumstances.

Prosecutor Dale Brook said Wilcox had failed to inform the Department for Work and Pensions that her partner, Shaun Jacobs, had been living with her in Howden. "The department became aware that someone may be living with her," he said. "They made enquiries with various organisations."

Mr Brook said it became apparent that Mr Jacobs had given Wilcox's address to his employer, Lloyds TSB, Sainsbury's Bank and Esure, a motor insurance company.

On June 18 last year, Wilcox was interviewed. Mr Brook said: "She denied that he was living with her. She accepted that if that had been the case she had a duty to inform the Department for Work and Pensions, or at the very least, East Riding Council, of a change in circumstances."

Mr Brook provided the court with details of Wilcox's caution. "She has no previous convictions," he said. "But she does have a relevant caution from 2010. Between June 1, 2009, and June 14, 2009, she failed to notify the authority of a change in circumstances in that she had gained employment." Mr Brook said, in light of the fraud spanning just two weeks, East Riding Council had decided to deal with the matter by way of issuing a certificate of caution.

Due to the absence of previous convictions, Richard Thompson, mitigating, suggested to Judge Kate Buckingham that she could "draw back" from imposing an immediate prison sentence. He invited Judge Buckingham to view documents, including references, which he claimed, collectively, show Wilcox "to be a responsible parent" and "someone capable of working hard".

Mr Thompson said his client is employed as a care assistant, but is currently on sick leave. "She is signed off because of stress and anxiety and that is due, at least in part, to these proceedings that have been hanging over her for some months," said the barrister.

An attachment of earnings order is being used to recoup the £18,803.19, at a rate of £70 a month, the court was told.

Judge Buckingham sentenced Wilcox to seven months' imprisonment, suspended for two years, and ordered her to complete 200 hours of unpaid work. She must also pay £600 costs and a £100 victim surcharge.

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A Stretford man who pretended to be off work sick for five years to fraudulently claim almost £20,000 in benefits has been convicted of fraud.

Paul Kelly, 55, has been convicted of dishonestly claiming £19,503 in housing benefit, council tax benefit and council tax support from Trafford Council.

He claimed the benefits on the basis he was receiving sick pay from his employer but failed to disclose the fact that he had returned to work in June 2010. This resulted in overpayment of benefits between June 2010 and January 2015.

Having entered a guilty plea earlier at Magistrates Court at an earlier hearing, Kelly was handed a community order, with a requirement to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work, and he must pay £686.82 in court costs.

Trafford Council is also recovering the money obtained as a result of Kelly’s offences.

Cllr Patrick Meyers, Trafford Council’s executive member for finance, said: “The message is a simple; if you submit a claim fraudulently or fail to advise us of any changes in your circumstances which results in you receiving money to which you are not entitled, we will find out and prosecute you.”

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The message is that we will find you even if it takes five years and you are saying you are on sick pay for all that time?

Cllr Meyers makes himself look ridiculous.

A scammer who hid her partner's £53,000 a year salary so she could carry on receiving benefits has been jailed for a year.

Anita Brown fraudulently claimed £27,000 of benefits for more than four years and used the money to shop online and for a hotel trip, a court heard.

She claimed she was living alone with her adult son at her home in Dundee. But investigators discovered that her partner - an offshore oil worker - was also living with them.

Dundee Sheriff Court heard that Ian Baillie's wage was paid into their joint bank account and funded their household expenses. Meanwhile, 56-year-old Brown maintained her own separate bank account where she had employment support allowance, housing benefit and council tax benefit paid in.

Dundee Sheriff Court heard that later analysis found the fraudulent cash had been used to fund online shopping, tickets for the postcode lottery and a hotel trip.

Brown told investigators that Mr Baillie was only a "very good friend" - but he claimed he "hoped to marry her one day".

Fiscal depute Eilidh Robertson told the court: "Mr Baillie claimed during interview he stayed with the accused two or three nights a week. He claimed he lived with his grandmother in Arbroath the remainder of the time when he was onshore, until her death in 2012. If this were true Mr Baillie's grandmother would also be guilty of council tax benefit fraud as she received a single occupier's discount. The Crown is aware that the accused's position is that Mr Baillie was not her partner. The plea is accepted on the basis that they were financially maintaining a common household and were living together."

Brown pleaded guilty on indictment to two offences under the Social Security Administration Act, committed between 2009 and 2013.

Defence solicitor Larry Flynn said Ms Brown would not be able to make repayments as she had no income.

And no assets?

Sheriff Elizabeth Munro said: "I can't imagine how she could possibly have thought she didn't have to declare this. It was quite a deliberate, successful, attempt to obtain money which rightfully belongs to the taxpayers."

Source and picture

A pensioner who conned taxpayers out of £41,000 in benefits over seven years has avoided being sent to jail.

Linda Larsen, 67, was sentenced to 200 hours' unpaid work after receiving housing benefit, council tax benefit and income support - despite having two jobs.

Salisbury Crown Court heard Larsen had deliberately stated she was unemployed on a number of forms between 2002 and 2009.

After failing to respond to a court summons in 2009 she remained undetected for the next five years despite receiving pension payments from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP).

Judge Susan Evans QC slammed the authorities for not bringing her before court sooner, saying the DWP must have had her address. She described it as an "amateur failure of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing":

I am at a loss as to why this has not come to the court earlier. What efforts were made to apprehend you I cannot understand.

The DWP said it was aware Larsen was wanted for benefit fraud but had no lawful reason to stop paying her state pension.

Which, of course, is not the point.

The pensioner had initially been unemployed when she started claiming benefits from Salisbury District Council but she failed to tell the authorities after securing a job with the Unicorn Inn in Bayford and subsequently the Duchy of Somerset Estate.

Larsen said she claimed the money as she was struggling to pay her rent.

Her defence barrister said she had intended to pay back the money.

Judge Evans said she accepted that Larsen was "not living a lavish lifestyle" and, due to her previous good behaviour, suspended the eight-month prison sentence for two years.

She is also paying back £34,000 owed in housing benefits and income support through her pension.

Wiltshire Council has written off the money owed in council tax benefit.

Oh good

Source

A Croydon Council worker who fraudulently more than £36,000 of benefits from her own employer has been spared jail.

Nicole Kelly claimed housing benefit and council tax benefit from the council for five years. She told the council she had no financial assets, when in fact she was renting out a property which she later sold for a £75,000 profit.

Kelly, 35, was sentenced at Croydon Crown Court on Monday.

Judge Jeremy Gold QC said he had "no sympathy" for Kelly and she deserved an immediate prison sentence. But, taking into account the fact she had young children, he suspended her 15 month jail sentence for two years.

The council's finance chief, Councillor Simon Hall said benefit fraud of such magnitude "always comes as a shock. When it's committed by a member of the council's own staff, though, the shock and dismay are even greater".

Kelly had told the council's benefits department that she had no capital or income, when in fact she privately rented out a property.

The fraud meant she was overpaid a total of £36,770 in housing benefit and council tax benefit between September 26, 2006 and March 7, 2011.

She later made a £75,000 profit by selling the property, though made no effort to use the money to repay the benefits she fraudulently claimed.

Her deception was uncovered by a routine benefit matching exercise by the council in April 2013, whose investigators realised she was an employee.

A spokesman for the council said she was suspended in September 2013 and sacked "a short time later" after a disciplinary investigation.

He said the council was "not prepared to divulged her employment history", but added that none of the various roles in which she was employed were in senior positions, "nor specifically offered the opportunity to commit the offences for which she was prosecuted".

Cllr Hall, cabinet member for finance and treasury, said the "diligent" work of the council's fraud investigators had stopped Kelly from profiting by more than £110,000, taking into account the money she received for the sale of the property. "That was money that she, in effect, stole from the honest people of Croydon, and we'll be doing all we can, under the Proceeds of Crime Act, to recover the illegally gained sum for the people that genuinely need it."

Kelly was also ordered to abide by an 8pm to 5am curfew at her home.

Source

So she stopped claiming in March 2011.

The council ran a matching exercise two years later. She was suspended five months after that.

Her sentencing hearing comes two and a quarter years later.

Let's hope dozy Croydon at least gets the money back.

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Jail for £62k benefit fraud

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Woman cautioned for benefit fraud re-offends

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Dismal delay in nailing Croydon benefit fraud