Amil Naim, from West Earlham, was given a conditional discharge for scamming £9,931 in benefits, and Sara-Jane Maidens, 40, of Arnold Miller way, Trowse, was ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid work after claiming £10,850.
Naim pleaded guilty to nine charges over a five-year period - five of false representation, two of failing to disclose capital in excess of the allowed limits, one of obtaining money by deception and one of failing to notify of a change in circumstances.
But after hearing evidence from Naim's support worker about his lack of memory and failure to understand why he was in court Recorder Mark Dennis, said he was left with no option but to give him a conditional discharge because of his poor mental and physical health, as he was not suitable to serve a custodial term.
Maidens, who had pleaded guilty to three counts of failing to notify the DWP that she had started working more hours over a two-year period, was spared jail because of her commitments to her 18-year-old autistic son, who she visits in his sheltered accommodation every day, and her 16-year-old son, who lives with her.
Mitigating, Michael Clare said her commitment to repay the money demonstrated her good character, and said that although she was only paying the money back at a rate of £4 per week, this was because she had such limited means.
Sentencing her, Mr Dennis said: “Benefit fraud is a serious matter which crosses the custody threshold, and you committed fraud and dishonestly took more than £10,000 from the country.
But given the circumstances, I am going to give you credit for your guilty pleas and previous good character and I acknowledge the efforts you have made to pay the money back, albeit an absurdly small amount.”
htp Dave
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