DWP applauds jail sentence for £50k benefit fraud

Yes, it's possible to send mothers to prison.

A mother of four who fleeced the taxpayer out of £50,916 after claiming benefits to which she wasn't entitled has been jailed for six months.

Donna Gaskin, 37, failed to tell the DWP that her friend - who worked as a car salesman - had become her lover and continued to claim income support, housing and council tax benefit.

Sheffield Crown Court heard Gaskin was living with Thomas Penistone at his home in Woodthorpe, Sheffield, when she started claiming benefits in June 2002.

Initially, the pair were just friends but in October 2003 she registered the birth of their first daughter Ellie May Penistone.

Michael Rawlinson, prosecuting, said: "It's a condition of both of those claims that she inform the DWP of any change in circumstances. That includes whether she had a partner, whether that partner was in work and whether they were living as man and wife."

Mr Rawlinson said investigators had found an "abundance" of documentary evidence to support claims the couple were in a relationship. They included loan applications, bank accounts and credit card applications.

In August 2004 Mr Penistone had described his marital status as "co-habiting" on one application form and had named Gaskin as an additional credit card holder.

In September 2005 the couple Gaskin gave birth to twins and Mr Penistone was again registered as the father.

Then in 2007, the pair applied for a mortgage together.

Mr Rawlinson said: "The fact that the two were living together clearly constituted a change of circumstances that the defendant should have notified the DWP about."

He said Gaskin, of Ouse Road, Attercliffe, had claimed £33,401 in income support and £17,514 in housing and council tax benefit.

Philip Standfast, defending, said Gaskin did not use the money to live a lavish lifestyle. He said she lived with Mr Penistone but he had a gambling problem and was inclined to buy cars that he couldn't afford on finance. He added her youngest child was just a year old.

Sentencing her, Judge Robert Moore said: "For between three or four years you defrauded the benefits system of more than £50,000. Both the public and the Sentencing Guidelines Council expect that to be dealt with by custody."

A DWP spokeswoman said: "The case was raised after a tip-off to the National Benefit Fraud Hotline, with an allegation that Miss Gaskin had a partner living with her, Thomas Penistone, and he was in full-time work."

Vernon Sanderson, from the DWP, said: "This is a pleasing sentence because this is a serious amount of money and it reiterates the message that people who steal from the taxpayer can expect to go to prison."