Benefits cheat given community service

Feb 18 2010 by kbarrSUN, West Lothian Courier

A BENEFITS cheat pocketed over £1700 by falsely claiming to be unemployed.

Lynn Roper (31) was handed community service at Livingston Sheriff Court last week after admitting to fraudulently claiming Jobseekers Allowance, housing and council tax benefit.

Fiscal depute Claire Martin told Livingston Sheriff Court that Roper, who lives at 2 St Helen’s Place, Armadale, had between January 17, 2009 and May 27, 2009, over-claimed £1000 in Jobseekers Allowance. She also over-claimed £750 in housing and council tax benefit between these two dates.

The court heard Roper had legitimately made a claim for these benefits at the end of 2008 while out-of-work after being made redundant from Shinetsu, but failed to tell the Department of Work and Pensions when she began working for Heatherfield Home Care Ltd in January 2009.

Ms Martin said: “On May 27, 2009 information was received from HMRC that the accused was working for Heatherfield Home Care Ltd and on August 3, 2009 the accused was notified in writing that the department was to interview her in relation to her claim for benefit.

“A statement was received from Heatherfield confirming the accused had been employed there from January 17, 2009 as a carer.

“She was interviewed on August 19 2009 and asked about changes in her circumstances and she said: ‘I should have told them that and I never, I admit it, I never. I started work in January but I didn’t know if I was going to stick that job or not’.”

Roper’s solicitor, Charlie Morrison, said his client had been paying back some of the benefits she had wrongly claimed.

He said: “She has no previous convictions or outstanding convictions and she is ashamed and embarrassed about appearing in court.

“She signed on and received state benefit, to which she was entitled to after being made redundant from Shinetsu.

“She didn’t know how long she would be there and clearly she should have informed the benefits agency of the fact she was working.”

Sheriff Graeme Fleming ordered Roper to carry out 80 hours of community service, adding: “It appears to me that what you did was to deprive those who are entitled to money of the sum of £1750 from the funds available.

“It is perfectly clear in the current climate with cuts being made that people who cheat the system must be punished.”