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Benefit fraud grandmother spared jail with suspended jail sentence (9 October 2012)

Date: 09/10/2012
Duncan Lewis, Legal News Solicitors, Benefit fraud grandmother spared jail with suspended jail sentence

A grandmother who was found guilty for a benefit fraud costing the taxpayer more than £35,000 has been spared jail.

Susan Jepson, 50, of Clough Lane, Mixenden, had originally applied for benefits as a lone parent but despite staying with a self employed electrician partner, for six years she had failed to inform the authorities about it.
Proscutor Louise Amzi told Bradford Crown Court on Tuesday the overpayment of mainly housing benefit and council tax benefit was £35,568.
A voluntary worker for a kidney charity Jepson had admitted a series of offences related to notifying to the authorities of a change in her circumstances and fraudulently claiming jobseeker’s allowance for a six-week period last year.
When questioned about the offences last year she said she had been in a relationship for 12 years, but they had started living together only since August 2005.
She claimed her partner, who she was not living any longer, did not help with household expenses, but paid for only Sky television.
Benefit fraud Lawyer, for Jepson, said she had expressed remorse for the offending in a letter to the council and had offered to repay the money at £10 a week.
Recorder Felicity Davies said she almost came very close to sending Jepson to prison immediately but decided to suspend the 18-week sentence for two years.
Jepson will also do 240 hours’ unpaid work for the community and be subject to an 8pm to 6am curfew for the next three months. She was also ordered to pay £300 towards prosecution costs.
She now faces civil proceedings to recover the overpayments.

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