A Burnley mother who lied her way to almost £20,000 from the public purse in a benefits scam now has a similar amount in the bank, a court was told.
Shahida Shaheen had not declared to the authorities she had more then £8,000 savings, or her rental income from another property. Over four years and three months her dishonesty in the "multiple fraud" netted her £19,306 she wasn't entitled to in a claim that was false from the start.
As the defendant faced sentence it was revealed she had about £20,000 in the bank. Shaheen had paid back £5,000 of the money which she took, at £17.70 a week.
The Bench said they wanted the DWP to be aware she had the means to repay the remaining sum, reiterating it was public money. Evidently they felt the DWP was being too easy on her.
The defendant admitted five charges of making a false statement/representation to obtain benefits and two of failing to notify a change in circumstances, between December 2004 and February 2009. She was given 120 days in jail, suspended for 12 months, with 200 hours of unpaid work. She must pay £75 costs.
Her claims for income support and council tax benefits were on the basis she was a carer. The overpayment was now being taken out of her carer's allowance and the amount still outstanding was £15,358.
The defence said she had already repaid a lump sum. She had come to England when she was 21, had never had any formal education and until 2004 had been employed as a production worker. She was very much a saver and had her family live very, very frugally.
The defendant put money aside for her children's future, such as paying for university and put the money in accounts in her name. The cash would not be touched as it was for specified purposes. It shouldn't work like that.
Mr Tindall added Shaheen had been of previous good character. He added: "She is extremely distressed about appearing before the courts and the consequences that may have on her family."
She's distressed at being caught. She stole for over four years.
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