Benefit cheat sentenced
Date:
25 April 2012
A benefit cheat has been found guilty of three counts of fraud and ordered to repay the money following a successful trial at St Albans Crown Court.
On Friday 20 April, Joanne Westwood, formerly of Broomfield Rise, Abbots Langley was found guilty on three counts of benefit fraud.
Westwood claimed Housing and Council Tax Benefit along with Income Support from April 2005 to September 2008 whilst failing to declare she had her partner Mr Gilbert financially contributing to the household. The total overpayment of benefits amounted to just under £32,000.
As well as paying back all monies owed, Westwood will have to pay an additional £1,000 compensation to Three Rivers District Council, Watford Borough Council and the Department for Work and Pensions and carry out 80 hours of unpaid work. Westwood was also given a twelve month supervision order along with three months suspended prison sentence, suspended for eighteen months.
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