Friday 12 November 2010

CHRISTMAS CURFEW FOR BENEFITS CHEAT

A Broadstairs woman is facing a Christmas and New Year curfew, after falsely claiming more than £7,000 in benefits.

Toni Wildish (33) of Rumfields Road pleaded guilty to four charges at Canterbury Crown Court on Tuesday (9 November) of knowingly making a false claim for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.

The fraud relates to a period from July 2005 to December 2006. Miss Wildish submitted childcare certificates to the council, stating that her children attended various nurseries during that period and that she paid £300 per week in total for two of her children to do so. In fact, the nursery fees that she had declared to the council that she paid were not correct and, in some instances, the children did not even attend the nurseries in question.

In total Miss Wildish was overpaid £5,800 in Housing Benefit and £1,500 in Council Tax Benefit. Miss Wildish has paid back just over £2,000 and is currently paying £50 a month back to the council.

Judge James said that it was a deliberate fraud and that the benefits system was not a fund to supplement those who want a better standard of living.

Miss Wildish was given a community order with an electronic tag for the next four months with a curfew from 9.30pm to 5am.

Cllr. Simon Moores, Cabinet Member for Customer Services, said: “As a result of this fraud, this woman is now facing a Christmas and New Year period, with curfew restrictions, through the electronic tag she will be wearing. This is a clear example of someone deliberately attempting to mislead the council with false information. Benefit fraud is something that hurts the entire community and is something none of us can afford at the moment, especially with the current spending pressures on the public sector.”

To report benefit fraud, you can call the council on 01843 577369 or by e-mailing fraudbusters@thanet.gov.uk You can also fill out a form on the council’s website, www.thanet.gov.uk to report suspected benefit fraud.

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