A mother of three from Knowsley who fraudulently claimed nearly £27,000 in benefits has been jailed for six months.
Liverpool Crown Court heard that Andrea Coltman claimed Income Support, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit as a single parent.
But she had failed to declare that she had been living with her partner, who was in paid employment.
A joint investigation by Knowsley Council and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) revealed the couple had been living together for three years, in Lakenheath Road, Halewood.
Ms Coltman admitted her dishonesty when interviewed by Council and DWP fraud investigators in 2007.
She said the relationship was unstable and, when she was interviewed, her partner had been in prison for a few months, which had caused them to separate.
The court was told Ms Coltman, who is 33, had several previous convictions for theft and had broken several curfew orders.
Judge Holloway passed sentence on Ms Coltman today (Wednesday). She had admitted fraudulently claiming a total of £26,942.31 at an earlier hearing.
Cllr Norman Keats, Knowsley’s Cabinet Member for Finance and IT, said: “The result of this investigation should send a clear message to everyone that Knowsley will not tolerate benefit cheats and those caught will be placed before the courts.
“We work closely with the DWP to share information about those suspected of fraud and to gather evidence for prosecutions.
“The reason we take such a hard line is because we realise that every pound which goes into a fraudsters pocket is a pound that could have been spent on schools, sports centres, parks, and other facilities that benefit the whole community.
”I would encourage anyone who is claiming benefit and has a change of circumstances to declare this at the earliest opportunity.”
Anyone with information about benefit fraud in Knowsley can call the Council’s Fraud Hotline on 0800 073 0532. If you need to inform Knowsley Council about a change of circumstances, please call 0151 443 4042 or call into your nearest One Stop Shop
be strong - it will get better. my country, the one that now values the pound more than the life of a child
Posted by: timewillheal | April 17, 2009 at 07:59 AM