A benefit cheat received £42,000 after she lied about her husband living with her in order to fund her holidays.
Joanne Fegan, 51, pocketed the benefits over a four year period after she lied on 17 documents about her living arrangements.
The North Yorkshire woman failed to register with the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) that she had a partner who lived with her between September 2019 and July 2023.
Despite writing to the DWP that two of her children had left home, she still defrauded the department out of £42,636.80.
Sentencing, the judge said that “the victim is the taxpayer who has funded your lifestyle”.
Fegan pleaded guilty to a charge of benefit fraud over the four year period.
Recorder Paul Reid sentenced the fraudster to ten months in prison suspended for two years.
He said: “The author of the pre-sentence report states this is a victimless crime but goes on to acknowledged that is not the case – the victim is the taxpayer who has funded your lifestyle.
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“A lifestyle which was not one of want or hunger or lack of basic human resources but one which funded your ability to take foreign holidays.”
The 51-year-old must also carry out over 200 hours of unpaid work as part of her sentence.
Earlier this month, a 61-year-old man admitted to benefit fraud which resulted in him receiving nearly £30,000 worth of overpayments.
John Alan East pleaded guilty to three counts of benefit fraud committed over a six-year period.
He appeared before magistrates on Thursday, March 6, where the court heard he had failed to declare a pension while receiving income support.
The fraud involved East failing to declare a change of circumstances on 308 separate occasions.
East, who lives on Tower Road in Ramsey, will now be sentenced next month after a probation report has been prepared.
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Joanne Fegan, 51, pocketed the benefits over a four year period after she lied on 17 documents about her living arrangements.
The North Yorkshire woman failed to register with the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) that she had a partner who lived with her between September 2019 and July 2023.
Despite writing to the DWP that two of her children had left home, she still defrauded the department out of £42,636.80.
Sentencing, the judge said that “the victim is the taxpayer who has funded your lifestyle”.
Fegan pleaded guilty to a charge of benefit fraud over the four year period.
Recorder Paul Reid sentenced the fraudster to ten months in prison suspended for two years.
He said: “The author of the pre-sentence report states this is a victimless crime but goes on to acknowledged that is not the case – the victim is the taxpayer who has funded your lifestyle.
MORE BENEFIT CHEATS:
- Benefits assessor blows whistle as he opens up on fraudsters: 'So many people were lying'
- Benefits fraudster pocketed £30k after 'failing to declare' pension
- Benefits fraudster lied about her children living with her in £16k Universal Credit claim
“A lifestyle which was not one of want or hunger or lack of basic human resources but one which funded your ability to take foreign holidays.”
The 51-year-old must also carry out over 200 hours of unpaid work as part of her sentence.
Earlier this month, a 61-year-old man admitted to benefit fraud which resulted in him receiving nearly £30,000 worth of overpayments.
John Alan East pleaded guilty to three counts of benefit fraud committed over a six-year period.
He appeared before magistrates on Thursday, March 6, where the court heard he had failed to declare a pension while receiving income support.
The fraud involved East failing to declare a change of circumstances on 308 separate occasions.
East, who lives on Tower Road in Ramsey, will now be sentenced next month after a probation report has been prepared.
Find Out More...