Councillor attacks benefit fraud sentence

A fraudster who claimed benefits despite her partner having £80,000 of savings in the bank has escaped with just a curfew.

The sentence was slammed by one councillor, who called it “outrageous”.

Joanne White, 36, of Sunnedon, Vange, failed to tell Basildon Council her partner had the huge stash of savings.

Between February 2009 and August 2010, White fraudulently claimed £8,000 in housing benefit and a further £1,500 in council tax benefit.

At Basildon Magistrates’ Court, she admitted failing to notify Basildon Council.

She was given an eight-week curfew, banning her going out between the hours of noon and 10pm.

But the sentence was condemned as too lenient by Phil Turner, Basildon Council’s cabinet member for finance and resources:

Any reasonable person whose partner has £80,000 in the bank would not continue to claim benefit they know they are not entitled to.

But it never fails to amaze me how such criminal behaviour can warrant such a slap on the wrist.

It is so disproportionate – what sort of deterrent is that for others?

We diligently dish these cases up to the court after a thorough investigation and no referral about benefit cheats is ever not looked into.

But when they go before the courts, all they seem to say is ‘don’t do it again’.”

White, who has since lodged an appeal against her conviction, was also ordered to pay £730 in prosecution costs.

•  Coun Turner has attacked sentences for benefit fraud before. For his previous appearances in this blog, click the label below.