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Benefit cheat claimed £35,000
26/ 3/2008
A BENEFITS cheat who swindled the taxpayer out of £35,000 by posing as a single mum was caught out when officials secretly filmed her at home living with her husband.
Mum-of-two Paula Pinder, 42, lodged a claim when her husband Arthur left their home in Heywood in 1997, leaving her to raise her children alone.
But she carried on claiming income support, housing benefit and council tax benefit when he returned a year later and she decided not to tell officials she was no longer a single parent.
An investigation was launched after an anonymous tip-off last year and a three-month undercover surveillance operation was mounted at the house in Glencoe Close.
Pinder was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years and 200 hours’ community service when she appeared at Bolton Crown Court.
She initially denied the allegations when interviewed, saying her husband had only called to take the children to school when she was unwell.
But when shown the evidence, she admitted her husband had returned.
She had continued claiming benefits because she had run up a lot of debt.
Judge Robert Warnock sentencing at Bolton, said her actions "totally and fully justified a custodial sentence", but he suspended it because he accepted she had not spent the money frivolously but for her children’s benefit, and she had pleaded guilty at an early opportunity.
In her defence, it was said she was of previous good character and had showed acute remorse and shame.
Pinder, who was in tears throughout the hearing, had falsely claimed £35,118.84 in benefits over a six-year recorded period. She pleaded guilty to three charges of failing to declare a change of circumstances under Social Security Act.
Investigators had also gathered information from credit companies and employers in the lengthy and complex enquiry, which helped establish Arthur had returned home.
Alan Millar, north west fraud senior operations manager, said: "Benefit fraud is a crime, no ifs, no buts. Benefit cheats steal money destined for the most vulnerable in our society.
"Our investigators have the skills and the tools and with the public’s help, we will catch them.
"If anyone suspects someone of benefit fraud they should call the hotline on 0800 854440."
Most recent 2 of 9 user comments
23/04/2008 at 16:34
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