Jacqueline Bramwell, 52, represented herself at Teesside Magistrates’ Court on Friday having pleaded guilty to failing to notify the Department of Work and Pensions of a change of circumstances.
Joanne Hesse, prosecuting, told the court that Bramwell’s claim for Employment Support “was not fraudulent from the outset” but had become so when her long term partner took a job away from Teesside.
Ms Hesse said: “She was claiming Employment Support Allowance for herself and her partner.
“The claim was legitimate when it began in 2017, but it became dishonest when her partner took work in London.
“The period involved is August 2017 until March of last year, and the total over-payment was £5,561.83.”
After compiling a report, the court’s probation liaison officer said Bramwell had been suffering from a number of financial, mental health and physical health problems at the time.
He told the court that the defendant worried about losing her house due to mortgage arrears and had problems with alcohol misuse.
Crucially, he said, Bramwell been tested for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) around the time when she falsely claimed benefits.
“She thought she was going to die,” he said.
“Because of this, she struggled to focus on her various responsibilities.
“She told herself ‘what’s the point?’, and stuck her head in the sand.”
【Burying your head in the sand?】相关文章:
最新
2020-09-15
2020-08-28
2020-08-21
2020-08-19
2020-08-14
2020-08-12