Benefit Cheat Jailed
| Published: 9th November 2007 19:46 |
08 November 2007
BENEFIT CHEAT JAILED
A woman caught fiddling the benefit system has been jailed after been prosecuted by Sheffield City Council and the Department for Work and Pensions.
Sally Anne Blakemore, 46 years old, of 2 Medlock Road appeared before Sheffield Crown Court on 7 November for claiming Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit and Income Support to which she had no entitlement.
Blakemore, who claimed benefits for an address in Beighton Road as a single person had in fact been living with a man as husband and wife for a six year period.
As a result of failing to properly declare her true circumstances she fraudulently received £13,583 of Housing Benefit, £2,335 of Council Tax Benefit and £33,470 of Income Support.
Blakemore was imprisoned for 12 months for offences contrary to the Social Security Administration Act.
Councillor Steve Jones, Deputy Leader of Sheffield City Council said: "We won't tolerate benefit fraud, and we hope this prosecution sends out a warning to fraudsters in Sheffield that we will catch up with you."
Andy Dolling, Sheffield Council's Assistant Director of Finance added: "'This is yet a further example of a greedy individual who thought they could fiddle the system without being caught and punished. The whole community suffers when individuals commit a crime of this nature and we hope that this case and sentence acts as a deterrent to anyone else thinking of committing benefit fraud."
Since April this year Sheffield City Council has successfully prosecuted 23 individuals for benefit fraud.
Sheffield City Council has a free, confidential benefit fraud hotline, which members of the public can use to report suspected fraud. The number is: 0800 083 7060.
Anyone suspecting benefit fraud can either telephone this number, visit the Council's fraud website http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/benefitfraud or write to Sheffield City Council, The Benefit Fraud Section, PO Box 1310, Sheffield S1 1UY. Any correspondence reporting benefit fraud will be dealt with in strictest confidence and people contacting the Council do not have to give their personal details.
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