The kindly judge said the crime was serious enough for imprisonment - but hey they had children so she was suspending their sentences. They were also ordered to carry out 250 hours’ unpaid work, with Emily Morris ordered to attend 25 days of education and employment training.
The Taxpayers' Alliance rightly attacked this pathetic sentence handed down by Judge Alice Robinson:
They should have received a much harsher sentence. Only by cracking down on and punishing benefits cheats can we discourage other fraudsters.The message of the sentence is that parents can get away with it.
Havering Council say they will (my italics) be pursuing the couple's assets through the courts. They were in court to be sentenced. That same court should have been able to make a confiscation order.
- These people do it for the money. So hit them in the pocket. It was money that motivated them, and a financial penalty will help to deter them.
Benefit thieves should have to repay twice what they've stolen, and should not be eligible for any further benefits – including tax credits - until they have. A confiscation order should be automatic and immediate.
If you don't punish people who are convicted of an easy crime, the offence will continue to look attractive.
1 comments:
For confiscation purposes both of them have a 'criminal lifestyle' which means that the confiscation order will be based on an investigation of their assets, income and expenditure over the past 6 years. You can't do that "immediately" - it takes months of investigation. It is likely that the confiscation when it comes will wipe them out financially.
Post a Comment