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Mum of three tagged for Christmas for fraud
Ref : 07/125 : Date : 11-12-2007
A former Southwick woman, Michelle Ann Phipps, 26 who pleaded not guilty to committing benefit fraud was found guilty and sentenced to a two month curfew order when she appeared at Worthing Magistrates Court yesterday (10/12/07).
The mother of three, fraudulently claimed £3461.89 in housing and council tax benefit from Adur District Council when she was living at Colebrook Road, Southwick. She will now be tagged to ensure she complies with the curfew order and will have to stay indoors between 8pm and 6am the following morning.
Ms Phipps who was found guilty of two offences of failing to inform the council her partner was working. She was ordered to pay back the money to the council and is also ordered to pay £1,032.50 in costs.
The court heard that in March 2006 Ms Phipps and her partner had claimed housing and council tax benefit from the council. The claim was unusual as although they were not working they had not claimed any other national benefits.
The council wrote to Ms Phipps in July asking if her partner was working. In August she replied that he wasn’t. She continued to claim benefits saying that her circumstances hadn’t changed and that her partner was not working.
Ms Phipps explained to the court that when she sent the letter her partner was working on a ‘trial basis’, which she didn’t think counted. She accepted with hind sight that this was wrong.
In October 2006 a housing benefit matching data search revealed Ms Phipps’s partner had been working for a local waste recycling company as a driver since 17 July 2006. The employment details were confirmed.
The council asked Ms Phipps to be interviewed and three times she failed to attend and offer an explanation.
Housing and Central Services Chairman, Julie Searle said: “This is a very unfortunate case and demonstrates the need firstly to tell the council about any changes in circumstances and also to co-operate with council fraud officers.”
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