Following a day-long trial at Huntingdon magistrates court on Thursday 26 June 2008, Lillian Freeman (31) of Sapley Park, Huntingdon, and Mark Taylor (27) of The Whaddons, Huntingdon, were each found guilty of charges of benefit fraud.
Freeman denied two matters, while Taylor pleaded not guilty to one, that between May 2006 and February this year they lived together at Freeman’s address, contrary to her claims that she was a lone parent. This resulted in her being overpaid £8,136. The magistrates imposed a 12-month supervision order to be added to an existing order for unrelated matters and ordered her to pay £250 costs to Huntingdonshire District Council.
Taylor, who, the court heard, was of previous good character received a two-year conditional discharge and was ordered to pay £250 costs to the council. This case was investigated following a tip-off from a member of the public.
The following cases were heard by Huntingdon magistrates on Wednesday 25 June 2008:
Heidi Peacock (32) and Joseph Peacock (47), from Allard Close, Yaxley, each pleaded guilty to two charges of claiming benefits they weren’t entitled to. The court heard they claimed housing benefit and council tax benefit on the basis that neither worked. However a data-matching check conducted with Peterborough City Council identified that they had a licence to trade in the city. They had a burger van and ice cream van operating from the late summer of 2005. In 2006 they set up a kitchen design business. None of the work was declared to Huntingdonshire District Council.
The overpayments amounted to £2,575. Each received a 12-month conditional discharge and was ordered to pay £200 costs.
Leigh Turnbull (37), of Silver Street, Buckden, admitted two matters of failing to declare that her partner was living with her at the time she claimed housing benefit and council tax benefit between 2002 and 2006. she was overpaid £12,818. The court imposed an18-month supervision order and required her to pay £400 costs. This case was investigated following a tip-off from a member of the public.
Matthew Abblitt, (31) of Field Road, Ramsey, pleaded guilty to one charge involving him claiming housing benefit and council tax whilst failing to declare that he was in work. The magistrates heard that he was claiming benefits while receiving job seekers’ allowance. When he signed off job seekers’ allowance in March 2007 he did not inform the council that he was in work. This resulted in overpayments of £1,212. He was given a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £1,050 compensation and £200 costs to the council. This case was investigated following a data-matching exercise with the Department of Work and Pensions and Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs.
Joao Moliero, (52) formerly of Park Road, Ramsey, but now living in Northampton, pleaded guilty to one matter relating to failing to declare work in 2006. The court heard that two days after making claims for housing benefit and council tax benefit he returned to full time paid work. He was overpaid £1,319. He was given a 12-month conditional discharge, and ordered to pay £1,176 compensation and £260 costs to the district council. This case was investigated following a data-matching exercise with the Department of Work and Pensions and Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs.
Kane Pomfret, (20) of Flaxen Walk, Warboys, pleaded guilty to one charge relating to continuing to make claims of housing benefit and council tax benefit after he had signed off job seekers’ allowance and returned to work. This resulted in overpayments of £1,131. He was given a 12- month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £910 compensation and £240 costs to the council.
This case was investigated following a data-matching exercise with the Department of Work and Pensions and Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs.
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.