Margaret Farrell from St Ives received a four month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, after the court heard that she had pleaded guilty to seven charges of benefit fraud between 2002 and 2006. A tip-off from a member of public alerted the council and the DWP that Farell, who had claimed housing benefit, council tax benefit and income support as an unemployed single parent between 2002 and 2008, had a partner living with her who worked full time.
An investigation revealed evidence that Farrell's partner had lived with her between 2002 and 2008. She was invited to attend an interview but chose not to answer any questions put to her. Farrell had been overpaid £29,646 due to her false claims. Elaine Havord, for Farrell, told the court that her client had no previous history of offending, had made arrangements to repay the sums she had falsely claimed and was seeking new employment to try and increase the amount she could repay. Mrs Havord said that Farrell had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity (this is the woman who refused to answer questions in interviews) and fully accepted that there was no-one else to blame but herself for the predicament she now found herself in.
As well the suspended prison sentence the bench ordered Farrell to undertake 200 hours of unpaid work and pay the council's costs of £220.
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