8:20am Wednesday 22nd July 2009
A WOMAN has been given a community order after falsely claiming benefit while she worked as an escort.
Deborah Wills of Sheerwater Close, Bruche, stole more than £7,000 in housing benefit, council tax benefit and income support between October 2007 and August 2008.
The 37 year old had been working as an escort on a self employed basis which she failed to declare this information to the council and the Department for Work and Pensions.
She appeared in court on Friday and was given 120 hours upaid work and ordered to pay £150 in costs.
Adrian Webster, the council’s benefits manager, said “Benefit cheats are not just defrauding the Government, but their own tax paying neighbours and communities. With the new methods of data matching we are using, the obvious message to benefit cheats is – ‘you will be caught’.”
l Meanwhile Joanne Lawless, of Snowberry Crescent in Great Sankey, pleaded guilty to failing to declare she had a partner living with her for more than a year from June 2007.
The 39-year-old claimed more than £3,000 in a cocktail of benefits and received a 60 hour community penalty plus being forced to pay the money back as well as a £200 fine.
She was sentenced last Wednesday.
© Copyright 2001-2010 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk