Huntingdonshire District Council prosecutes

Sacha Kite, who had denied two counts of fraud between 2005 and 2006, was found guilty in her absence, having failed to attend her trial. The court heard that she had failed to report that her husband was in full time work while she claimed benefit for the family. She was overpaid £3,182 in housing and Council Tax benefit. The court was also told that she had a previous conviction in 2005 for benefit fraud. The magistrates imposed a 12 month community order with the requirement that Kite compete 250 hours of unpaid work. She was also ordered to pay £2,084 compensation, representing the outstanding benefit overpayment, and £100 costs.

Gillian Thulborn admitted that she had failed to report to the council that she received payments from a trust fund, putting them into a bank account which she had not declared on her claims for housing and council tax benefit between 2005 and 2007. Information had been received from a member of the public that she had hidden her true income and bank accounts so that she could claim benefit. She was overpaid £2,190 in benefit and arrangements are in place for the money to be repaid. Thulborn received an 18 month conditional discharge and was ordered to pay £150 costs. Just a conditional discharge for deliberate theft.

Rosina Westbrook claimed benefit between 2001 and 2004 and again between 2006 and 2007 but had failed to declare that her two daughters who lived with her were in work. She accepted that she had claimed £12,721 that she was not entitled to and had now made arrangements to repay the money. Just like that! She was sentenced to a six-month community penalty and will be required to undergo 30 hours of skills for life training. She was also ordered to pay £100 costs to the council.

Richard Houghton and Terri Houghton each received 24-month conditional discharges. They had claimed council tax benefit of £5,800 between 2003 and 2007, declaring they ran a failing financial consultancy business which had not realised any profit for a number of years. Following an investigation by the council and HM Revenues and Customs it was found that the couple had acquired assets of more than £70,000, that both had numerous undisclosed bank accounts, and that in 2005 the business had made a profit of £25,000. It was also disclosed that during the time they were claiming benefit the couple had purchased a new Range Rover Freelander and Audi Quattro sports car with personalised number plates.

Simon Milburn for the Houghtons, told the court that his clients were of previous good character, and accepted that their completion of benefit forms had been 'tardy to say the least'. They had now repaid all the money owed to the council, and Mrs Houghton was now very ill, providing the court letters from her consultant. Passing sentence the magistrates took Mrs Houghton's health issues and the implications of them on the couple. They received 24-month conditional discharges and were ordered to pay £520 towards the council's costs. In other words, they got away with it.

htp: Dave again