Cliviger woman admits £25,000 benefit scam (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Cliviger woman admits £25,000 benefit scam

5:17pm Saturday 7th November 2009 in

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A woman who carried out a near £25,000 benefits scam whilst she was working has walked free from court.

Paula Ormerod, 29, made a claim that was fake from the start and carried on the deception over several years. She made no comment when finally confronted, Burnley Crown Court heard.

The defendant, of Mount Crescent, Cliviger, admitted three counts of making a false representation to obtain benefits. She was given 38 weeks in prison, suspended for a year, with 150 hours unpaid work and must pay £250 costs. She had no previous convictions.

Judge Jonathan Gibson, who said the defendant may well have qualified for tax credits if she had been honest, told her he would have sent her to jail for between 12 and 15 months if she had not owned up.

He told the court the claim was false from the start and only ended because Ormerod was found out. The judge added: "I suspect it is very unlikely indeed the courts are going to see you again."

Jonathan Clarke, prosecuting for the Department for Work and Pensions, said the defendant had claimed carer's allowance, income support, housing benefit and council tax benefits. She had been working, earning about £700 a month.

She was overpaid to a total of £24,749, £6,631.70 in income support, £9,695.25 in carer's allowance, £6,453.61 in housing benefits and council tax benefits to the tune of £1,968.60.

She was interviewed under caution, but made no comment. Mr Clarke added the defendant was now making repayments and to date had repaid about £1,300.