Benefits cheat fined

Sep 16 2010 West Lothian Courier

A WOMAN who claimed incapacity benefit for nearly a year while working for a cleaning company was fined when she appeared at a local court.

The court heard that Susan Devlin, (52), claimed £1500 from the Department of Work and Pensions between November 2005 and October 2006 after failing to tell them she had a job.

At Livingston Sheriff Court Devlin, whose address was given as Clement Rise, Dedridge, pled guilty to fraudulently claiming the incapacity benefit.

Her solicitor, Ian Smith, told the court: “It started off like many of these things with no initial intent but she let it carry on.

“She has been making efforts to repay this sum.”

Fining Devlin £400 for the offence Sheriff Martin Edington said: “I said to you a month ago I would draw a line under this matter if you started to make the repayments I thought were appropriate. You have done this so I will bring this matter to a close.”