On Wednesday this week (27 February 2008) at Huntingdon Magistrates Court four people were sentenced for benefit fraud offences following investigations into their claims for housing and council tax benefit by Huntingdonshire District Council.
Robert Davis (63) of The Broadwalk, St Neots, claimed housing and council tax benefit from 2005 as an unemployed single person. He pleaded guilty to one charge of benefit fraud when he failed to declare to the council that he had sold land that he owned in 2006. The court heard that following a tip-off from a member of the public an investigation revealed that Davis had an undisclosed bank account into which he had paid £27,000 from the proceeds of the sale of the land. He was overpaid £6,124.06 housing and council tax benefit.
Davis, who was of previous good character and who had assisted the council with its enquiries received a three-year conditional discharge and was ordered to pay £220 costs to the council. He has already made arrangements to pay the overpaid benefit back to the council.
Cheryl Kester (49) of Cromwell Gardens pleaded guilty to working more hours than she had originally stated when claiming benefit, and to having another person living at her address that she had not declared to the council whilst she claimed . Kester was overpaid £4,420 in housing and council tax benefit between November 2005 and August 2007. Kester was ordered to complete 90 hours of unpaid work for the good of the community and pay the council £220 costs. Kester will also have to pay back the benefits she falsely claimed.
Sean Pepper (52) of Carnaby Close, Godmanchester, pleaded guilty to three charges of benefit fraud when he failed to declare that he was employed by various recruitment agencies between December 2005 and May 2007. The court heard that he was overpaid £31062 in housing and council tax benefit. David Potter, representing Pepper, said that his client was of previous good character and that he had reported other work that he had undertaken although he accepted that he had failed to declare all the work to the council.
Pepper received a two-year conditional discharge and was ordered to pay the balance of the debt outstanding of £896.89 to the council by way of compensation and £200 costs.
Julie Saunders (45) of 14 Surrey Road, pleaded guilty to one charge of benefit fraud between June and December 2005 when she failed to declare that her partner Steven Griffin lived with her. The council was tipped off by a member of the public about the suspected fraud and following an investigation it was found that Saunders had lived with Griffin at the benefit address whilst she claimed benefit as a single person. Saunders was overpaid £2307 in housing and council tax benefit.
The court heard that Saunders initially denied that Griffin lived with her but later admitted it during an interview with council investigators. The court gave Saunders credit for her guilty plea and as she has repaid all the benefits she had falsely claimed, she received a 24-month conditional discharge and was ordered to pay £584 costs to the council.
If you know someone who is claiming benefit when they are not entitled to it you can contact the Fraud Investigation Team on 01480 388480 or call the 24 hour confidential Fraud Hot Line on 01480 388188. You can also report fraud by e-mail using the link on the right or by visiting the council’s website. When calling please leave as much information as possible to ensure that the council is aware of the full facts before an investigation commences. All calls received will be dealt with and treated in the strictest confidence.