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Priest sentenced for blue badge parking fraud

September 13, 2017, 1:12 pm
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A priest has been sentenced to 200 hours of community service after he used a dead woman’s disabled badge to park his car.

Father William Haymaker was convicted of fraud after parking his car in a disabled spot in Bexhill in December 2015.

What took so long?

The owner of the badge had died two months before.

He was also ordered to pay £3,700 in costs as well as carry out 12 months of unpaid work.

Mr Haymaker said he had promised a traffic warden to return the badge back to the council as part of registering the woman’s death, but he said he forgot to do so.

He said it was an "honest mistake" as he had seven permits in his glove compartment and was telling the “gospel truth”.

Seven permits?

Judge Christine Henson said: “You used a disabled person’s Blue Badge that did not belong to you to commit fraud. You’ve been convicted of a serious offence and you must be punished for it."

She added that his financial situation appeared "a little murky", and that she could not understand what he was spending his money on.

He told the court, as reported by The Argus, that he used to work for British Airways – but prosecutors and his legal team did not find any evidence to back up his claim.

He also said that he worked as a priest for as many as four funerals per day, provided pastoral care for the terminally ill and poor parishioners, ran errands for them and drove them to hospital appointments, for which he does not receive payment.

He also said he runs a charity called Project New Life which helps poor and neglected children in Moldova and Romania.

Earlier this year the jury unanimously found him guilty of fraud. He came to Hove Crown Court court to receive his sentencing with his official clerical dog The Venerable Mr Piddles.

Mr Haymaker was ordained in 1984 and is a rector of St Paul’s Anglican Parish in Bexhill.

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Judge slams DWP for delays in benefit fraud prosecutions

September 13, 2017, 11:00 pm
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An important report. The Judge is criticising the DWP's standard performance in prosecuting benefit fraud cases and gaining reimbursement. If they are so lax in the cases they do take to court, how many benefit fraud cases are falling by the wayside? How much money slips through their fingers?

A judge has urged the Department for Work and Pensions to speed up benefit fraud prosecutions, which at the moment often take several years to reach court.

Leicester Crown Court’s most senior judge, Nicholas Dean QC, said long delays were “bringing disrepute to the justice system".

The judge also said the delays made it more difficult to send perpetrators to prison, "even though they may deserve it".

He also urged a “proactive” approach be taken by the authorities in speedily getting the money back from defendants’ assets - before they disappear.

He spoke out when sentencing a benefits cheat, Bharaj Rawji, who dishonestly claimed £24,000 in state hand-outs to which he was not entitled. He failed to declare that he had at least £16,000 savings in his bank account, between September 2011 and August 2014.

The money is being re-paid via deductions of £120 a month from Rawji’s current benefit entitlement.

Judge Dean said the money could take up to 20 years to re-pay under that payment plan, and that Rawji's assets could be seized to enable the state to recoup the money quicker.

The court was told the £16,000 Rawji had had in savings had disappeared.

The judge added that repaying dishonestly-claimed benefits over a period of 20 years would have "very little impact" on defendants, and that he was “constantly astonished" by the Department for Work and Pensions' (DWP) "lack of enforcement in such cases".

Rawji (57), of Melrose Street, Belgrave, Leicester, admitted seven counts of benefit fraud, relating to dishonest claims for Job Seekers’ Allowance, employment support allowance, housing benefit and income support payments, totalling £24,294. He was given an eight month jail sentence, suspended for two years.

Judge Dean said the defendant was interviewed in April 2015, and the case should have taken no more than six months to reach court. The judge added: “These prosecutions are routinely delayed upwards by two years.”

He warned there could come a time when the courts could be reluctant to proceed with cases involving unreasonably long delays.

Judge Dean added:
I urge the DWP to think about what they want to get out of these cases, and take a more proactive stance when it comes to recouping money. One of the consequences of so much delay (in bringing cases to court) is it’s difficult after so much time to send someone to prison, even though they may deserve it.
Judge Dean said of the defendant: “He (Rawji) should feel a real sense of shame and it should be a real punishment for him - whether or not he does is a different matter.”

He told Rawji: “This sort of rank dishonesty causes a great deal of loss to the state and brings into disrepute people who genuinely claim benefits. You should be held up in your local community as someone who has acted in this profoundly dishonest way. In truth, the punishment would be to pay it back quickly. I don’t believe you have no assets and it might mean confiscation proceedings will result in more being recouped.”

The judge said: “You’ve previously been in trouble for trademark offences, when you were trading dishonestly in items of clothing with designer labels – that typifies you’re a dishonest man. Now you’ve claimed benefits to the tune of £24,000 when you falsely declared you did not have savings when you did.”

Judge Dean also said: “During the period on the indictment he had at least £16,000 in his bank account (which has since gone). One might think their (the DWP) principal concern would be to recoup money that has been lost. The courts have powers and assets can be frozen. I’m constantly astonished by the lack of enforcement in such cases.

“People in his (the defendant’s) position typically dispose of assets because they know that getting the money back will take 20 years and will have very little impact upon them and cause them little or no hardship. He must have assets … he’s been working, albeit illegally, selling clothing bearing false labels.”

Rawji will now have to declare any assets he has to the court, pending a possible proceeds of crime hearing to obtain re-payment.

Almas Ben-Aribia, prosecuting, said the defendant committed the offences during a separation from his partner, when he claimed £15,500 and had allowed his partner to claim just under £9,000 benefits – whilst concealing the fact he had savings that rendered them ineligible to claim. His partner is not being prosecuted.

Amar Mehta, mitigating, said the defendant no longer had his former savings and was no longer able to work for medical reasons; a heart problem. He said Rawji was also a carer for his wife, who suffered from ill health.

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Pensioner admits pension credit fraud

September 14, 2017, 11:00 pm
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A welfare cheat who illegally received £13,204.32 in illegal over-paid benefits has been fined.

Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard how John Stoppard, 71, received pension credit benefit at Mansfield but failed to tell the Department for Work and Pensions he was receiving a second monthly Legal and General pension.

Prosecuting solicitor Sam Matkin said: “He was claiming pension credits which he was not entitled to which led to a £13,204.32 over-payment. He had received pension credit since 2011, for himself and this was on the grounds he only had a state pension and an occupational pension from Legal and General and he was paid by automatic credit to his accounts on the basis he had declared all his income.”

However, Stoppard failed to declare a second occupational, monthly pension from Legal and General from March, 1996, according to Mr Matkin.

Stoppard, from Muskham, Newark, pleaded guilty to making a false statement on or about May 5, 2011, at Mansfield, to obtain benefit by failing to declare the full extent of his pension arrangements to the DWP.

Mr Stoppard said: “I agree with the summary. I am sorry for what I have done and I am willing to pay it back. You do things and I just kept thinking I would never get caught and I got caught.”

The probation service explained that Stoppard worked as a miner for 32 years and has health issues including blood pressure problems, headaches and diabetes.

The court heard Stoppard has taken a job to pay back the benefits owed. Magistrates fined Stoppard £200 and ordered him to pay £85 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

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Businessman admits benefit fraud

September 17, 2017, 11:00 pm
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A businessman and landlord is now a convicted benefit fraudster after he concealed some of his finances and sub-let his property.

Rebecca Ware, prosecuting, said Peter Cullen, 50, claimed council tax relief and a single person council tax discount from September 2013 on the grounds he lived alone and had less than £500 in capital.

But he didn't include details about one of his bank accounts which contained more money that he was allowed to have for the full claim.

He also failed to tell Selby District Council when he started getting income by sub-letting the house where he paid council tax, and when he started running a business with over £120,000 going through his accounts in 18 months between February 2014 and July 2015.

Council officers became suspicious in August 2016 when four adults went on the electoral roll for the property where he was claiming he lived alone, and started investigating.

Cullen told York magistrates that when he made the initial claim, he had been made redundant and his partner had left him. He had since put himself back on his feet.

His caravan park business had been open for business since August and at the time of the court case, he had six lodgers paying £100 a week, plus a 14-stand caravan park where visitors paid £100 a month.

“It was a stupid decision by me,” he said of the benefit fraud. “I got myself into a situation I didn’t know how to get out of and buried my head in the sand”.

Cullen, now of Broad Lane, Cawood, pleaded guilty to four offences of benefit fraud committed between September 2013 and June 27, 2015.

He was ordered to do 200 hours’ unpaid work and pay £1,006 costs to Selby District Council, who prosecuted the case, plus an £85 victim surcharge.

Miss Ware said as a result of his crimes, Cullen received £6,443 in council tax relief and a single person reduction he was not entitled to, and that he has repaid all the money.
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Benefit fraudster had £80k in the bank

September 19, 2017, 1:51 am
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Benefit cheat Diane Cornes claimed nearly £10,000 worth of handouts – despite having tens of thousands of pounds in the bank.

The 62-year-old made a claim for Employment Support Allowance (ESA) in February 2013 and stated she had £2,550 in the bank, when she had at least £25,000 in her account. And she continued to claim benefits until December 2015 despite, at one stage, having £80,000 in the bank and never having less than £30,000.

Now Cornes, who has no previous convictions, has been handed a community order at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court.

Prosecutor Peter McCartney said the defendant made a claim for ESA in February 2013. He said: “She declared she had £2,550 in the bank. However, from August 2013 she had at least £25,000. From November 2013, she had about £80,000 in the bank. That depleted with time, but was never less than £30,000 up until May 2016. If she had declared she had capital of over £6,000 it would have affected her payments. If she declared she had over £16,000 it would have prevented any benefits at all being paid. In her interview, she admitted failing to notify the Department for Works and Pensions (DWP) of capital she had. The claim was fraudulent from the outset.”

The defendant was overpaid £817.31 of ESA between March 6, 2013 and November 4, 2013; £2,142.03 of Job Seeker's Allowance between November 5, 2013 and March 30, 2014; and £6,448.78 of ESA between March 31, 2014 and December 15, 2015. In total, she was overpaid £9,408.12 benefits.

Cornes, from Burslem, pleaded guilty to three offences of dishonestly failing to disclose information to make a gain for herself.

Robert Holt, mitigating, said the defendant suffers from anxiety, depression and panic attacks. He told the court: “She has become mixed up and confused and allowed personal grief to take over her and consume her. It led to her turning a blind eye.”

He added that Cornes will repay all the money.

So she hasn't yet.

Judge David Fletcher sentenced Cornes to a 12-month community order, with a rehabilitation activity requirement for 20 days and an eight-week curfew from 8pm to 6am.

He said: “When you filled these forms in to claim ESA, you knew what money you had in your bank. And let’s be clear about this, you lied. It wasn’t a mistake. It was a deliberate lie and a deliberate illegal statement made by you that was simply not true. I suspect you knew if you told them about the capital you had in the bank, you would not have received those benefits. You have ruined your good name. You are going to have to live with the consequences of criminal convictions recorded against you and the various other things that will flow from that.”

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£80k benefits cheat avoids jail

September 26, 2017, 11:57 pm
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An £80,000 benefits cheat pictured snorkelling in the Maldives while claiming she was wracked by pain has avoided jail.

Mum Linda Hoey told "bare-faced lies" to government officials about her back condition - but was pictured enjoying watersports on a luxury holiday , a court heard.

The Tamworth 58-year-old , who also carried heavy trays laden with cups of tea for her work colleagues, was handed an 18-month suspended sentence.

She deceived the authorities for 15 years, claiming the higher rate mobility allowance and the middle-band of care allowance - cheating the tax-payer of £65,244 in all.

Hoey, convicted after a trial in July, was also found guilty of cheating the operators of the Midlands M6 Toll out of £15,690, for using a disability pass exempting her from charges.

Sentencing, Judge Michael Elsom said: "The time has come where you have to pay the price for 15 years of dishonesty. At the time you were telling those lies, you were actually going to work every day, driving yourself to work every day and you were observed walking."

Married Hoey claimed she needed a stick to walk any distance, and used one after walking free of court - while family members shielded her from the cameras using umbrellas.

However, the judge said while he accepted medical evidence that she had a "degree of disability", he found she exaggerated her condition.

He said: "What followed? You walked up a spiral staircase to get to your place of work. So all those assertions were nothing more than bare-faced lies which you continued in this court. You called two members of your family in support. I hardly think you merit the description your daughter gave you, as someone to whom she can look up to as a role model. If that's the sort of role model that your daughter thinks is appropriate - that's a very great shame indeed. The fact you're shunned by neighbours and people turn their backs on you comes to me as no surprise whatsoever. You've demonstrated your reputation is that you're someone whose word cannot be trusted."

Lucinda Wilmott-Lascelles, prosecuting, said Hoey had "exaggerated and lied about her difficulties".

Her barrister, Marion Smullen, said her client was of previous "exemplary" character, and her claim - at its outset - had been "genuine".

But the judge told Hoey: "In my judgment, your conduct merits harsh words. What an example you set your children, sitting in the dock of Stafford Crown Court convicted of offences of dishonesty over a long period of time."

Mr Recorder Elsom said Hoey had "never shown any remorse or admission of wrong-doing", despite the "bold and bare facts" of her offending.

He added ordinary members of public who paid their taxes rightly felt "revulsion" at "people such as you".

Outside court, the DWP senior fraud manager for Midlands shires, Dave Pedley, welcomed the sentence, adding they would pursue Hoey for the full amount she had claimed.

He added that the department had secured a charge on both her property, in Talland Avenue, Amington, and against a narrow boat she owned at Kings Bromley.

Mr Pedley added: "On top of that is the stigma of being a convicted benefits fraudster."

Source with pictures
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Dundee team spots £100k's of frauds

September 27, 2017, 11:00 pm
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Specialist investigators have identified hundreds of thousands of pounds being claimed through fraud in Dundee, it has been revealed. (h/t Fraudmanager)

The city council’s corporate fraud team has also managed to claw back thousands of pounds which had been dished out to people, through a series of probes.

During 2016/17, the council managed to recover nearly £125,000 which residents had claimed or attempted to claim through a variety of frauds linked to income, parking, welfare, tenancy, council tax and even blue badges for disabled parking.

Further investigations took place into frauds by residents dealing with other departments including trading standards, legal and licensing, and children and families. Meanwhile, the specialist team also identified frauds worth more than £330,000 in the city linked to more than 260 housing benefits overpayments.

The details have been revealed in a report to the council’s scrutiny committee, on the work of the corporate fraud team (CFT).

The CFT was set up in 2015 and has responsibility for investigating allegations of fraud linked to a variety of things, including housing benefits.

Of the money recovered, about £38,000 was from fraud linked to council tenancies and blue badges.

There were 137 cases of fraud linked to council tax reduction, exemptions and discounts, worth just over £70,000.

Greg Colgan, the council’s executive director of corporate services, said council staff worked with a variety of agencies on their investigations — including Police Scotland. They have also developed a “whistleblowing policy” in order to identify possible cases of fraud.

In addition, the CFT plans to become involved in the serious organised crime group. It already works with a number of national agencies and networks, sharing intelligence and ideas with others across the country.

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Woman admits comprehensive benefit frauds over 8 years

September 28, 2017, 4:00 am
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A Monkton woman claimed more than £68,000 in benefits she was not entitled to, a court has heard.

Carol Coote, 51, pleaded guilty to four charges of benefit fraud when she appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates on Tuesday, September 26.

The court heard that she had dishonesty failed to notify of a change in circumstances affecting her entitlement to income support, council tax benefit, housing benefit and employment and support allowance.

Coote failed to tell Pembrokeshire County Council and the Department for Work and Pensions that she was living as a couple with Mark Greenwood.

She was over paid a total of £68,307.67 during the offences, which took place between 2008 and 2016.

Magistrates sent the case to the crown court for sentencing, and released Coote on unconditional bail.

She will next appear at Swansea Crown Court on October 24.

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Council crackdown uncovers millions of pounds worth of housing fraud

September 28, 2017, 11:00 pm
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A crackdown has uncovered millions of pounds worth of housing fraud, according to council bosses. (h/t tenancyfraud)

Hundreds of cases of fraud or errors in applications for council housing were reported leading to dozens being marked as fraudulent.

East Dunbartonshire Council said the reports of fraud were up on previous years with almost 250 cases coming to their attention in the last year, with 42 marked fraud or containing errors.

Investigations led to 39 offers of a tenancy being withdrawn and a saving to the council coffers running into millions of pounds.

The council said each case of tenancy fraud costs and estimated £93,000 and affects others on the waiting list for housing.

The crackdown has, the council said, led to homes being unlocked for others who were further down the list who could have missed out.

The cost is estimated to be £3.6m saved.

The investigations also found three houses not to be occupied and they have since been reclaimed.

Another six homelessness applications were identified as having been made either fraudulently or in error.

The council said it has sent one case to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service for consideration of criminal proceedings.

As well as the housing scams the fraud team also found Council Tax irregularities totalling £202,412, business rates evasion of £54,363 and employment-related fraud/theft of £1,139.

And on top of that a total of £89,337 was saved through the National Fraud Initiative.

The investigations across council departments found a range of fraudulent applications including for education places/funding requests and taxi licences.

Councillor Gordan Low, Leader of East Dunbartonshire Council, said, “Well done to everyone within the Corporate Fraud Team for their work over the past year. We have a zero-tolerance approach to fraud and corruption, and are committed to safeguarding public funds. Rest assured, we will continue to work with our partners to tackle all incidents of fraud - protecting the public purse and ensuring fairness as regards issues such as social housing, Council Tax and school placing requests.”

He urged the public to help the council by reporting any cases of fraud to help keep council costs down and protect council services.

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East Devon DC checks council tax discounts

September 29, 2017, 4:00 am
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Checks to make sure East Devon householders who currently claim a 25 per cent council tax discount for living alone are still entitled to it are being carried out this month.

As part of East Devon District Council’s measures to prevent fraud and protect the public purse, checks are beginning this month to ensure that those claiming the discount are entitled to it.

Nationally, council tax discounts are the second highest area of fraud and error, behind welfare benefits. It is estimated that nationally £19.6 million is lost each year in incorrectly applied discounts.

£7.7 million is awarded annually to residents in East Devon receiving a single person council tax discount. This equates to an average reduction of £375 per year. Based on research, up to 5% of these discounts may be incorrectly claimed and in East Devon this could equate to up to £385,000 each year. When the review was last carried out, discounts of more than £182,000 were identified as being incorrectly claimed.

The council will be carrying out checks using sophisticated data-matching technology to make sure that around 21,000 households who currently receive a discount in the district are still eligible.

The council will be working with Datatank, a firm of data solutions specialists, to carry out the review by cross-referencing with other sources of information about households such as the electoral-roll registers and financial sector information.

Cllr Ian Thomas, East Devon District Council’s portfolio holder for finance, said: "I would like to stress that anyone genuinely claiming a reduction should not be concerned. However, if you are found to be deliberately misleading the council, you could face a penalty of £70, as well as having to repay the discount. Council taxpayers who claim the discount improperly place an unnecessary burden on the very real needs of some residents. We must treat such misinformation very seriously. Council taxpayers have a legal duty to advise the council of any changes to their single occupancy circumstances. This review will help us make sure our approach to the single person discount is robust, fair and cost effective."

The review will begin this month and be completed by December. As part of the process, Datatank will be contacting a sample of households by letter and/or telephone on behalf of the council.

The review is being jointly funded by the council, Devon County Council, Devon & Cornwall Police and Devon and Somerset Fire & Rescue Authority who each receive a portion of the council tax.

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No jail for repeat £58k benefit fraudster

October 2, 2017, 11:18 pm
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A Beeston woman lied about her marital status in order to make illegal claims for almost £60,000 in benefits.

Linda Philllips, 61, lied to authorities that she was single to make false claims for tax credits, housing and council tax benefit for five years

Leeds Crown Court heard that throughout that period, between 2010 and 2015, her husband Steven lived with her. The scam came to light after a tip-off that he was in their home while she was out at work.

Robert Stevenson, prosecuting, said Phillips filled in official forms on a number of occasions but failed to complete the section which referred to her having a partner.

It was later discovered that her husband had the same address listed with financial institutions and had her listed as his next of kin with his employer. Over the period of offending Phillips claimed £39,115 in tax credits and £19,810 in housing and council tax benefits. Phillips pleaded guilty to two offences of benefit fraud. She has a similar conviction dating back to 2007. Phillips had no legal representation in court but said she was sorry for what she had done when asked to comment.

A probation officer told the court that Phillips was a carer for her two grandchildren.

The officer said Phillips had described her relationship with her husband as “unpredictable” and she was often unsure how long he would stay at home with her.

Phillips was given an 18 month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid work.

So what punishment did she get, exactly?

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Proceeds of crime order for benefit fraud conwoman

October 3, 2017, 7:00 am
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A benefits cheat who conned grieving pet owners out of thousands of pounds has been ordered to pay back more than £75,000.

Emma Bent was jailed for eight months in 2011 after it emerged she had pocketed cash given to her to give dogs and cats a proper cremation, before dumping their bodies in a field. When she was found out, police calculated her earnings as £88,000 - but she claimed she only had £3,100, which she was ordered to pay to the court.

The 42-year-old, from Steep Turnpike, Derbyshire, was then jailed for two-and-a-half years in February 2016 for money laundering and benefit fraud after it was found she had lied about her assets in the original investigation.

Bent had wrongly claimed for housing and council tax benefit as well as income support.

Now, following a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing at Derby Crown Court, she has been told she has just three months to pay the £75,806.41 or face another jail term.

Judge Nirmal Shant QC said: 'It is right to say that previously £3,100 was the available amount to be paid back. But based on a statement it is now accepted that the information given was false. The benefit now declared is £75,806.41 and the available amount is the same figure. The compensation will be paid to the Department of Work and Pensions £33,449.48; Amber Valley Borough Council - 32,478.47; and Derbyshire Dales District Council - £9,878.46. You have three months to pay.'

At the February 2016 hearing, Derby Crown Court heard police found Bent had been lying about property she owned and how much she earned so she could pocket more than £90,000 in benefits between 2004 and 2012.

They found she had put properties in the name of her mother, Sonia Lomas, and some of her housing benefit was transferred into Lomas' bank account.

In court, Bent admitted fraudulently claiming income support, housing benefit and council tax benefit; forging a rent book, a letter and a tenancy agreement; concealing criminal property and perverting the course of justice.

Sentencing Bent at the time, Judge Shant QC said: 'You are, or certainly have been in the past, a thoroughly dishonest young woman. For a long period of time you obtained benefits that you were not entitled to.'

A Proceeds of Crime Act hearing this week said Bent owns land in Matlock, Derbyshire, as well as 75% of the house where she lives in Steep Turnpike. The other 25% is owned by her husband, Nigel Bent.

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Benefit fraud gets right punishment - a long time later

October 3, 2017, 11:00 pm
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A landlord who committed benefit fraud while renting out four homes and holding senior posts at two companies has been ordered to repay £135,000 or face jail.

Salih Ozbay, from Walthamstow, was originally jailed in June 2015 after being found guilty of four charges, including three benefit fraud offences and one money laundering offence.

Waltham Forest Council investigators discovered Ozbay had falsely claimed £25,850 in Housing Benefit and £1,880 in Council Tax Benefit between March 2008 and July 2012.

While making the fraudulent claims, the 40-year-old failed to declare he was the owner of four rental properties, was receiving student loans and grants and was a company secretary at two businesses.

During that time, he also unsuccessfully applied for discretionary housing payments, claiming that he was suffering severe financial hardship, and needed additional funds.

Ozbay was jailed for a year for the deception. However, on September 7 this year at Snaresbrook Crown Court he was ordered to repay a total of £135,000 under the Proceeds of Crime Act. If he fails to give back the ill-gotten cash by December, Ozbay faces another 18 months behind bars.

In his sentencing, Judge Alastair Hammerton described the fraudster’s actions as a: “brazen attempt to obtain benefits” he was not entitled to.

He ordered Ozbay to pay a confiscation order of £83,600 plus legal costs of £51,400, a total of £135,000.

Waltham Forest Council leader, Cllr Clare Coghill, said: “This sentence shows that you will be caught if you commit a crime and steal taxpayers’ money. We will not give up until we get the right result for the taxpayer. He has to pay the fine by December 7. If he doesn’t, then he will go to prison for 18 months. While in prison, the debt would still incur interest and on his release he would still have to pay the confiscation order. So either way, we are able to claw back the money.”

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So the fraud took place between 2008 and 2012. He was jailed in 2015. Now he's back in court for a confiscation order - in 2017.
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"Single" benefit fraud parent wasn't single

October 4, 2017, 4:00 am
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A woman who failed to notify authorities of a change in her circumstances that would affect her entitlement to benefits, namely that she was cohabiting with her partner in Tenby, has been handed a suspended jail sentence.

Forty-year-old Tanya Harmsworth appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates Court, to plead guilty to a charge of failing to notify Pembrokeshire County Council of a change in her circumstances that would affect her entitlement to housing benefit; and a second charge of failing to notify the Department for Work and Pensions, over her circumstances affecting her employment and support allowance.

Prosecutor Ellie Morgan told the court that the claims were made between June, 2013 and September, 2016.

“The defendant was in receipt of ESA for herself and one child, on the grounds that she was living as a lone parent, and also housing benefit for the same period. She failed to declare that she was living in a common household with her partner Charles Marsden in Tenby. Ms Harmsworth received an overpayment of £28,099. A repayment plan is already in place with the authorities,” she added.

Magistrates sentenced Ms Harmsworth to six months in custody, suspended for two years.

She was also ordered to pay £85 prosecution costs and a £115 victim surcharge.

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Light sentence for sub-letting mother

October 6, 2017, 12:22 am
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A mum who bought a house while illegally subletting two council properties has narrowly avoided going to jail.

Paula Callaway moved into a three bedroom house in Ravenoak Way, Chigwell, in 1999 - but didn’t tell the authorities when she bought a new house in Dunmow, Essex, in 2008.

She rented the Chigwell house out to her son and five other people, something which was in breach of her tenancy agreement with Moat Housing.

Then in 2012, she said she needed to downsize and asked the council if she could take part in a house swap.

This was approved and she pretended to “move in” to a one bedroom in Felstead Way, Loughton, but instead rented that property out, too.

But it then transpired she carried out the mutual exchange with her sister-in-law so she could move into a three-bedroom house.

After a five day trial at Chelmsford Crown Court Ms. Callaway was found guilty of two offences relating to social housing fraud.

Having previously pleaded guilty to the criminal offence of dishonestly subletting a property, she was sentenced with a 12 month suspended sentence on both counts of fraud, 150 hours community service and a victim surcharge.

The Judge stated: “You were given social housing once you had bought a home of your own. There is chronic shortage of social homes and you deprived a family from living in a home for six years. This went on far too long. It went on but you must know what you did was wrong.”

Source

Yes, this is a particularly nasty type of fraud on society. But she has scarcely been punished for it.
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Oxford recovers 21 social housing properties IN ONE YEAR

October 13, 2017, 1:38 am
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Oxford City Council's Investigation Service saved the Council£5.1 million in 2016/17, recovering 21 social housing properties that were in the hands of non-authorised occupants, and sifting out 33 fraudulent right-to-buy applications. (h/t Fraudmanager)

That was just in one year.

How much could that be nationally? Every year?
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Benefit frauds ran for ten years

October 16, 2017, 1:35 am
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A retired nurse faked tenancy agreements to pretend she only rented her £400,000 home and cheat £66,000 in benefits.

Margaret Ayensu, 71, spent ten years keeping up her lie to claim pensions credit and housing benefit she was not entitled to.

As well as creating the fraudulent tenancy agreement, she faked multiple letters to support her claims.

Meanwhile Ayensu squirrelled away the government cash while living in a leafy lane on the outskirts of the well-to-do village of Storrington, near Horsham.

Ayensu was spared jail by a judge who showed her leniency because of her age and years of public service working as a nurse.

The former nurse was told she will have to repay more than £66,000 she fraudulently claimed after she admitted failing to correctly notify the Department of Work and Pensions of her circumstances, and three counts of using fraudulent documents to claim housing benefit from Horsham District Council.

Gareth Burrows, prosecuting, told Lewes Crown Court: “She claimed she had no income coming in and she was renting her property. She provided a rental agreement from a landlord in the name of Margaret McAlpine, but that was a name she had previously used. The property belonged to her. She claimed housing benefit from 2005 for the address that was in fact hers. She then subsequently provided a letter from a Cecil Grey confirming the rental. Again that letter was false. A further letter was provided in 2009 and that letter was on headed paper and again saying there was a rental agreement on that property. Again that letter was fraudulent. Whilst her deceit may not have taken considerable effort it was over a long period of time.”

Martin Williams, defending Ayensu, said she had fallen into financial difficulties after retiring and falling out with her daughter, but had not realised there were benefits available that could help her while struggling to meet mortgage repayments.

Recorder Tom Nicholson-Pratt told Ayensu: “If you had gone about this in a legitimate way you could have got some help.”

Agreeing to suspend the 12 month sentence he imposed on her for a year he added: “You come before the court for dishonesty over a considerable period of time, between 2006 and 2017. You provided false documents to support your claim. You must have realised as this was going on you could stop it at any time. But you perpetuated it.

“You are now 71 years of age and have some health concerns. I take the view that in the circumstances of this case I can suspend your 12 month sentence and there will be a rehabilitation requirement on you. I know you are not going to put yourself in this position again.”

Ayensu was ordered to complete 10 rehabilitation sessions and will have to reappear before the court on January 8 to ensure she has repaid what she owes.

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Guilty of illegal sub-letting, may face jail

October 16, 2017, 4:00 am
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A former champion boxer who became an Islamic extremist and ISIS supporter is facing jail for illegally sub-letting his home.

Anthony Small, 36, and his partner Maryam Malik, 25, charged nearly £1,000 a month to tenants living in two south London housing association properties, while the couple were receiving housing benefits.

Former British and Commonwealth boxing champion Small, who is also known as Abdul Haqq, starred last year in the BBC reality TV series, Muslims Like Us.

He was convicted of committing fraud which he used to help support his lifestyle.

He is a follower of the extremist preacher Anjem Choudary and has boasted online that he was labelled the 'ISIS boxer.'

Small was acquitted two years ago of using a false passport to try and leave the country in the back of a lorry to join the fighting in Syria.

Woolwich Crown Court heard that Small and Malik were living with her parents in Stoke-on-Trent after she had given birth to a baby in May last year. Small advertised his flat in Camberwell, south London and eventually let it out for £800 a month, even though he was still receiving £216 a month in housing benefit. Malik let out her flat in Sydenham, for about £900 a month in cash after answering an advert on Gumtree, while still receiving £502.80 in housing benefit.

The preacher would return to London for a few days a month to collect the rent and stay in a room at his flat, but his 'tenant' had the run of the rest of the apartment.

The tenants in both flats were apparently unaware of the illegal arrangement and Small had even drawn up a tenancy agreement that he had downloaded from the internet.

The scam was uncovered in August last year when Miss Malik arranged for a housing association engineer to attend one of the properties to fix a faulty boiler. The engineer realised the tenant had no idea the property was owned by a housing association and reported it to his bosses.

However, when they were caught out the pair then attempted to persuade two of their sub-tenants - one of whom was pregnant and due to give birth to a child with a heart defect - to leave. A tussle ensued with one of the tenants, who claimed he was punched to the ground.

Lesley Bates, prosecuting, said: 'This case is about two people who have taken advantage of a system which provides housing to those who need it and cannot afford to pay themselves. It is about two people who have sought to undermine that system by renting out the property they have been allocated and which is paid for by housing benefit, in order to obtain cash to line their own pockets.'

Small and Malik were each was found guilty of one count of fraud and one count of unlawful subletting.

They will be sentenced on November 2.

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October 16, 2017, 11:00 pm
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Jail for £85k benefit fraud belatedly discovered

October 17, 2017, 4:00 am
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A MOTHER who failed to declare her disabled son had died and fraudulently claimed more than £85,000 in benefits for six years after his death has been jailed.

Leeds Crown Court heard 64-year-old Anne-Marie Turrall was full-time carer for her son Matthew, who was born in March 1984 and suffered from a number of mental and physical disabilities.

She had been legitimately claiming carers allowance because she provided at least 35 hours care a week for her son. The court heard she had also initially legitimately claimed incapacity benefit and disability living allowance on his behalf.

But she failed to notify the Department of Work and Pensions after Matthew died aged 22 in September 2006 while on a trip to visit his father in Cyprus.

Prosecutor, Ben Thomas, said the benefits continued to be paid to Turrall from September 2006 to October 2012.

Turrall’s fraud was exposed in 2012 after an investigation was launched when incapacity benefit was phased out and replaced with employment support allowance.

Mr Thomas said Turrall was overpaid a total of £85,329.61, adding: “She explained that in 2006 she had taken him to Cyprus to visit his dad and that Matthew had died on September 8 2006. She accepted she had not reported his death as she was struggling and later on just did not do it.”

Turrall, who has no previous convictions, admitted three charges of benefit fraud.

Mitigating, Antony Sugare said: “The defendant is very remorseful. She feels a great deal of shame.”

Jailing Turrall for 14 months, Judge Simon Phillips QC, said: “I recognise that the initiation of this dishonesty was the trauma of dealing with a sick child and dealing with the grief following his death.”

Source

The delay in this case coming to court is ridiculous. It has made this woman's life even worse for her.
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