Benefit Cheat caught

A BENEFIT cheat who falsely claimed £2, 564 from the council has been sentenced to a curfew order and ordered to pay back the overpayment

Leanne Aston, 23, of Molyneux Avenue, Warrington pleaded guilty to benefit fraud at Warrington Magistrates’ Court on 12 December.

Aston was claiming benefits as a single person when she was in fact living with her partner

Between April 2006 and November 2006, she defrauded the council of £2,141.65 housing benefit and £422.50 council tax benefit, a total of £2,564.15, for the above period.

Aston received a curfew order for the period 12 December 2007 to 5 February 2008 meaning she can not leave her property between 9pm and 7am. She was also ordered to pay £50 costs.

Adrian Webster, the Council’s Benefits Manager, said: “There are no ifs, no buts when it comes to benefit fraud. Deliberately withholding information that affects your claim is stealing. That’s why we are targeting benefit thieves. This case is yet another clear demonstration of our determination to tackle benefit fraud.”

People in Warrington can give information about alleged fraudsters free and in confidence on the National Benefit Fraud Hotline on 0800 854440.
Ends

Issued by:  Joanna Driscoll, Principal Communications Officer
Date:   Friday 21 December, 2007
Release: Immediate