A Knowsley woman who fraudulently claimed £48,000 in benefits has been given a suspended nine-month jail sentence.
Liverpool Crown Court heard that the sentence against 44 year old Michelle Crosbie will be suspended for 18 months.
Ms Crosbie claimed housing benefit, income support and council tax benefit on the basis that she was a lone parent with two dependent children living at Hollowcroft, Stockbridge Village.
Knowsley Council carried out a joint investigation with Merseyside Police and the Department for Work and Pensions and found that Crosbie’s partner was living at the property most of the time.
At an earlier court hearing, Ms Crosbie pleaded guilty to fraudulently claiming £48,000 in benefits from September 2004.
A Knowsley Council spokesperson, said: “The result of this prosecution sends out a clear message that we will not tolerate cheats in Knowsley.
“Money claimed by fraudsters is money that could be invested in council services that benefit the whole community. Knowsley Council will always push for the toughest penalties for people found to be acting dishonestly.
“We would remind genuine claimants that they must always let us know if their circumstances change or they too could find themselves in court.”
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.
Meanwhile, Knowsley Council has also successfully brought prosecutions in a further three cases of benefit fraud totalling more than £20,000. At Huyton Magistrates Court:
37 year old Sarah Jane Caldwell was given a two year conditional discharge for failing to declare her partner was living with her at an address in Custley Hey, Stockbridge Village. She claimed £11,712 housing benefit, council tax benefit and income support on the basis she was a lone parent with two dependent children.
40 year old Delroy Williams of Wimborne Road, Huyton received 120 hours community punishment order and 12 month supervision order for failing to declare his partner lived at the address. He claimed £4,129 housing benefit, council tax benefit and jobseekers allowance on the basis he was a single person living alone at the address.
28 year old Claire Louise Dodd claimed £4,596 benefits on the basis she was a lone parent living with two dependent children at Cherry Gardens, Kirkby. She received a 12 month conditional discharge for failing to declare her partner was living at the address.
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