Anger over let-off for benefit fraud woman (From Echo)
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Anger over let-off for benefit fraud woman
1:00pm Tuesday 27th December 2011 in News
A FRAUDSTER who claimed benefits despite her partner having £80,000 of savings in the bank has escaped with just a curfew.
The sentence was slammed by one councillor, who called it “outrageous”.
Joanne White, 36, of Sunnedon, Vange, failed to tell Basildon Council her partner had the huge stash of savings.
Between February 2009 and August 2010, White fraudulently claimed £8,000 in housing benefit and a further £1,500 in council tax benefit.
At Basildon Magistrates’ Court, she admitted failing to notify Basildon Council.
She was given an eight-week curfew, banning her going out between the hours of noon and 10pm.
But the sentence was condemned as too lenient by Phil Turner, Basildon Council’s cabinet member for finance and resources.
He said: “Any reasonable person whose partner has £80,000 in the bank would not continue to claim benefit they know they are not entitled to.
“But it never fails to amaze me how such criminal behaviour can warrant such a slap on the wrist.
“It is so disproportionate – what sort of deterrent is that for others?
“We diligently dish these cases up to the court after a thorough investigation and no referral about benefit cheats is ever not looked into.
“But when they go before the courts, all they seem to say is ‘don’t do it again’.”
White, who has since lodged an appeal against her conviction, was also ordered to pay £730 in prosecution costs.
Comments(24)
Diannah
says...
3:05pm Tue 27 Dec 11
Nebs
says...
3:47pm Tue 27 Dec 11
stropmag
says...
4:07pm Tue 27 Dec 11
andyh wrote:I think it's fair to say that she must have known. Had she been able to show that she did not have any knowledge she would not have been convicted. I believe it is a principle of English law that to be guilty of an offence there has to be what is known as 'Mens rea' or 'guilty mind'.
Did she know that her partner had that much money? If not then she probably didn't know that she wasn't entitled to the benefit.
That particular curfew also suggest that there is more to this than meets the eye.
As for the sentence, I'm sure there are reasons for it but it does sound rather bizarre on the face of it. If I were in her shoes I'd be hot footing it down town on the stroke of 10 to live it up til the early hours and stay in bed for most of the morning whilst decent working people were toiling away to keep me. I am not in her shoes, of course.
freemason
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5:33pm Tue 27 Dec 11
tepluap
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5:47pm Tue 27 Dec 11
muffindamule
says...
6:19pm Tue 27 Dec 11
muffindamule
says...
6:27pm Tue 27 Dec 11
If you want to tell me what it is you do Joanne I promise it will remain our little secret ! ;-)
Yours sincerely,
Muffin.
TW Basildon
says...
7:53pm Tue 27 Dec 11
TW Basildon
says...
7:53pm Tue 27 Dec 11
Skymaster
says...
8:17pm Tue 27 Dec 11
Skymaster
says...
8:17pm Tue 27 Dec 11
Last Poster
says...
9:08pm Tue 27 Dec 11
“Any reasonable person whose partner has £80,000 in the bank would not continue to claim benefit they know they are not entitled to.
“But it never fails to amaze me how such criminal behaviour can warrant such a slap on the wrist.
“It is so disproportionate – what sort of deterrent is that for others?
Perhaps he should quote those words when we read how MP's get off by apologising, as many did over the expenses fracas, or by hitting the "Tax Avoidance" specialists who are the kings of our failed industries with all the millions they pay themselves, sometimes paying less tax than your average bog cleanser.
Yes Mr. Turner, keep hitting the low lives by all means, but perhaps you might throw one of your rabble rousing comments upwards? just for balanced reporting of course! Or is it that you are only amazed by someone at the bottom of the ladder using the same initiative as most of those at the top?
Ironman
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10:55pm Tue 27 Dec 11
heartbeat
says...
1:08am Wed 28 Dec 11
Last Poster wrote:Absolutely right. I don't see how people at the bottom of society's rungs can be expected to obey rules when the those at the top don't! Remember all those MPs who "forgot" they owned several houses or whatever??
Phil Turner said:
“Any reasonable person whose partner has £80,000 in the bank would not continue to claim benefit they know they are not entitled to.
“But it never fails to amaze me how such criminal behaviour can warrant such a slap on the wrist.
“It is so disproportionate – what sort of deterrent is that for others?
Perhaps he should quote those words when we read how MP's get off by apologising, as many did over the expenses fracas, or by hitting the "Tax Avoidance" specialists who are the kings of our failed industries with all the millions they pay themselves, sometimes paying less tax than your average bog cleanser.
Yes Mr. Turner, keep hitting the low lives by all means, but perhaps you might throw one of your rabble rousing comments upwards? just for balanced reporting of course! Or is it that you are only amazed by someone at the bottom of the ladder using the same initiative as most of those at the top?
Nebs
says...
11:58am Wed 28 Dec 11
Steal 9,500 in benefits and get to stay at home and play on your xbox, so as the message goes out that, er, where can I pick up the benefit claim forms?
termite1944
says...
2:41pm Wed 28 Dec 11
She should be evicted from her home and the money she stole deducted from her bank account!
At least we know where she lives?
R85
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2:55pm Wed 28 Dec 11
alimac69
says...
3:32pm Wed 28 Dec 11
shallotman
says...
3:41pm Wed 28 Dec 11
Altravista
says...
12:46am Thu 29 Dec 11
sunshine07
says...
4:00pm Thu 29 Dec 11
Soouthchurch59
says...
4:43pm Thu 29 Dec 11
I agree R85. We don't know how long this couple have been in a relationship - or anything else about their personal circumstances. Whereas the beak does and has obviously taken these into account when sentencing.
Last Poster
says...
7:15pm Thu 29 Dec 11
sunshine07 wrote:Strange! What your writing about is such a small sum compared with the mass tax "avoidance" practiced by the very, very rich. Yet you get wound up by the penny pinching folk who copy the "Fiddlers on the roof" of society. Just wondered, do you employ an accountant? Nothing personal, just trying to work out your apparrent prejudice.
I get so wound up with all this benefit business never claimed one in my life wouldnt know how to but i really think once a person lies about their situation then they should be banned from claiming any benefit at all no matter what their situation is
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andyh says...
1:23pm Tue 27 Dec 11
That particular curfew also suggest that there is more to this than meets the eye.