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Mum-of-two was £40,000 benefit cheat


A BENEFIT cheat who pocketed nearly £40,000 has been spared an immediate jail term.

Lorraine Morgan, who failed to tell the authorities that she had a partner who was in work, was handed a 34-week prison sentence, suspended for two years.

The 28-year-old mother-of-two from Cherwell Crescent, Southampton, admitted making false statements to obtain benefits over a four-year period.

Southampton Crown Court heard that she had received a total of £37,866 to which she was not entitled, including £23,000 in income support and £11,554 in housing benefit.

Judge Jeremy Burford said only a fraction of the money had been repaid.

He told the defendant: “You claimed large sums over the years but your principal motive was to support your two young children. For that reason I’m proposing to suspend your prison sentence.”

After the case, a Department for Work and Pensions spokeswoman issued a warning to anyone else tempted to cheat.

She said: “We are taking positive action to prevent fraud before it happens, deter those who are thinking of committing fraud, detect fraud when it does happen and punish the fraudsters.

“Calls to the National Benefit Fraud Hotline show how strong the support for our campaign is.”

  • If you suspect someone of committing benefit fraud ring the hotline on 0800 854440.

Your Say YourEcho

Forest Resident, Marchwood says...
9:09am Thu 9 Oct 08

A thief is a thief in my book no matter who they are 'providing for'. Had the culprit been a full time employed tax payer they would no doubt have faced an immediate custodial sentence. This woman has stolen £40,000 from the tax payer and got away with it, no wonder this country is going to the wall.

chubunkin, locks heath says...
9:37am Thu 9 Oct 08

'Mum-of-two'... Why does the Echo always report things in this ridiculous fashion. I couldn't care less about the woman's breeding history.

Bambi, Southampton says...
9:40am Thu 9 Oct 08

chubunkin wrote:
'Mum-of-two'... Why does the Echo always report things in this ridiculous fashion. I couldn't care less about the woman's breeding history.
And I doubt they could care less about your opinion.

Baffled of Totton, Totton says...
9:44am Thu 9 Oct 08

“We are taking positive action to prevent fraud before it happens, deter those who are thinking of committing fraud, detect fraud when it does happen and punish the fraudsters."

PUNISH?? - WOT A JOKE!!!

flower49, Holbury says...
9:44am Thu 9 Oct 08

Another pathetic outcome. Who pays these people to catch the fraudsters, take them to court,the law abiding taxpayer,thats who. Keep on handing out disgraceful sentences like that and they will get no support from anyone, I,d like to ring up the fraud hotline and tell them "Lorraine Morgan has commited benefit fraud of up to £40,000, now punish her." She's laughing and we are picking up the tab.I say take the money out of his wages, and get her lazy backside out to work until it's all paid back.

10 Minute Man, Bitterne says...
10:01am Thu 9 Oct 08

Baffled of Totton wrote:
“We are taking positive action to prevent fraud before it happens, deter those who are thinking of committing fraud, detect fraud when it does happen and punish the fraudsters."

PUNISH?? - WOT A JOKE!!!
DWP don't have the power to punish, only forward the case to the CPS in order to persue prosecution. The verdict of the case and the punishment if the defendent is found guilty is then decided by the judge and jury. Not DWP - you can't blame them if they've given the proof and the judiciary does not follow through in the manner you would like.

AngrySotonResident, says...
10:09am Thu 9 Oct 08

This sentence only portrays to other benefit cheats that if found guilty they will get off with a minimal sentence.

She should now be forced to work the relevant amount of hours for the council or clean ceptic tanks as community service.

Dr Alimantado, Babylon says...
11:30am Thu 9 Oct 08

Baffled of Totton wrote:
“We are taking positive action to prevent fraud before it happens, deter those who are thinking of committing fraud, detect fraud when it does happen and punish the fraudsters." PUNISH?? - WOT A JOKE!!!
True.

The punishment is hardly going to put other pikey scum off.

I am not sure if sending her to prison is the right punishment because that just punishes the children but a serious level of community service and being forced to pay back every penny would have been something at least.

The scary thing is, I bet most people know somebody that is doing exactly the same thing...and we are paying for it.

merckxy, Eastleigh says...
1:08pm Thu 9 Oct 08

Baffled of Totton wrote:
“We are taking positive action to prevent fraud before it happens, deter those who are thinking of committing fraud, detect fraud when it does happen and punish the fraudsters.She should be put in stocks on the village green!!!!!!!

Adrian Smith, Planet Earth says...
4:41pm Thu 9 Oct 08

chubunkin wrote:
'Mum-of-two'... Why does the Echo always report things in this ridiculous fashion. I couldn't care less about the woman's breeding history.
I guess the Echo reported it because it was used as mitigation in the Court case.

Frankly I would get those two chavlings away from her and to a decent set of parents (adoption or foster), then make her work off the debt.

obelisker, Southampton says...
8:45pm Thu 9 Oct 08

So much for equality, if this was a bloke defrauding the DWP he'd be banged up for a couple of years, because it's some scrubber with a couple of snotty brats she gets off scott free, what message does that send to all the other thousands of swindlers...Go for it,you can't loose!

paul b, Mottisfont says...
10:19pm Thu 9 Oct 08

SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM

H.R.H. KING MUSH , WOOLSTON says...
1:14am Fri 10 Oct 08

paul b wrote:
SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM
Sorry - could you repeat that?

Finlay, Des Moines Iowa says...
3:16am Fri 10 Oct 08

Yeah - Ditto
+ Ponce

1234, cyprus says...
10:48am Sun 12 Oct 08

pikey, go out and get a job like the rest of us, thats how we pay for our kids, i wouldnt mind an easy life like that but like to know its me providing for my kids not everyone elses taxes going up

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