Suspended sentences for benefit thieves

An anonymous tip off from a member of the public has led to investigators uncovering almost £44,000 worth of benefit fraud by Samantha Brennan, from Kempston. She was sentenced to 18 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work and pay £1,500 costs for the prosecution. She will also have to repay the benefits that she stole.

Jahanara Begum, a former benefit claims worker, has been given a suspended prison sentence for fraudulently claiming almost £14,000 in housing and council tax benefits. She did not declare a separate income of £50,000. She was sentenced to 12 weeks in custody suspended for 12 months, and ordered to carry out 150 hours’ unpaid work. She was also ordered to pay £500 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.

Robert Watts claimed Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit totalling £37,521 on the basis that he was receiving Job Seekers Allowance. Investigation by Camden revealed that he had actually worked for three different employers during the period of his claim. He was sentenced at Blackfriars Crown Court to five months imprisonment, suspended for two years, a curfew between the hours of 8pm to 5am and was ordered to do 250 hours of unpaid work.