Benefit cheats admit deception

Date published: 19 November 2008

Four Rochdale benefit fraudsters have been convicted after illegally claiming more than £17,500 that they were not entitled to.

The separate cases were all heard by Rochdale Magistrates yesterday (18 November).

Katrina Williamson, 24, of Telford Way pleaded guilty to fraudulently claiming housing benefit, council tax benefit and income support totalling £7,450.

Williamson was working seven days a week for a taxi firm. She told her husband she was visiting her mother when she was in fact working. The fraud was uncovered after an anonymous call to the council’s fraud team. She was given a three month community penalty, tagged for 14 days with an 8pm-6am curfew, told to cover court costs of £100 and ordered to repay all the fraudulently claimed benefits.

Bernadette McCoy, 43, of Aldwych pleaded guilty to fraudulently claiming housing benefit, council tax benefit and income support totalling £6,487 even though she had worked at Healy Conservative Club. She was sentenced to a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay costs of £404.60.

Lee Wood, 22, of Turf Hill Road, pleaded guilty to fraudulently claiming housing benefit, council tax benefit and jobseeker’s allowance totalling £2,130.

Wood had worked while claiming benefits but had failed to inform the council and the DWP that he was working for various employment agencies. He must now commit to an Attendance Centre programme, to attend each week (total of 24 hours), and pay costs of £250.

Shahida Ashraf, 34, of Queensway, pleaded guilty to fraudulently claiming £1,680 in housing benefit after colluding with her brother, who was also her landlord, to help him pay the mortgage. Ashraf said she knew that if she declared the landlord was her brother she would not be entitled to benefits and therefore lied on the claim form. She was served a six month community penalty, tagged for one month with 8pm-6am curfew, and ordered to pay costs of £250.

Councillor Greg Couzens, cabinet member for finance on Rochdale Council, said: “All four of these benefit cheats have admitted deliberate attempts to obtain money fraudulently. Our fraud investigation team work closely with colleagues at the DWP, and those who make false claims will be found out and prosecuted. If you know of someone committing benefit fraud, you can report it free by calling 0800 328 6340 or contact the Fraud Team directly on 01706 926100.”