Tip-off leads to conviction

A Redditch woman has been sentenced to a 12-month Community Order with an unpaid work requirement of 80 hours, for committing benefit fraud.

Kareen Cross was found guilty of falsely claiming Income Support, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit totalling £8,410 between April 2008 and May 2009.

Ms Cross, who pleaded not guilty to the offences, was investigated by the DWP and Redditch Borough Council after an allegation that she had failed to declare she was living with her partner was made on the National Benefit Fraud Hotline.

After hearing evidence from the DWP and Council Officers and then hearing from Ms Cross, the Defence decided not to call two further witnesses.

Magistrates found that there were discrepancies in the information Ms Cross had given and found her guilty of failing to declare a change in her circumstances.

She was ordered to pay £5,200 towards the overpaid benefits with the rest of the overpayment being recovered by the DWP and the Council. She was told that this debt must be prioritised as she could go to prison for non-payment.