Trowbridge benefit fraudster told to repay more than £3,000 (From Wiltshire Times)

Trowbridge benefit fraudster told to repay more than £3,000

1:23pm Thursday 21st June 2012 in Trowbridge

A Trowbridge woman has been ordered to repay more than £3,000 after being found guilty of benefit fraud.

Kerry Deeks, of Oxford Gardens, pleaded guilty at North West Wiltshire Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday to giving a false declaration when signing a benefit application form, and also not declaring a change in circumstances when she started work.

Mrs Deeks completed a benefit application in November 2010 and failed then to declare a pension payable to her husband, Christopher Deeks.

In December 2010 she started working for Next in Trowbridge, and in May 2011 she began a second job at the Red Admiral pub in Hilperton, without telling the council of either.

She was overpaid £3,006 in Housing Benefit and £345 in Council Tax Benefit from December 2010 to June 2011.

The court gave her a 12-month community order including 120 hours unpaid work, ordered her to repay the money and to pay £300 in costs.

Benefit fraud can be reported on Wiltshire Council’s confidential hotline on 01249 706256 or the National Fraud Hotline on 0800 854440, or at www.wiltshire.gov.uk/benefitfraud.