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8:49am Thursday 9th October 2008
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.”
chubunkin, locks heath says...
9:37am Thu 9 Oct 08
Bambi, Southampton says...
9:40am Thu 9 Oct 08
chubunkin wrote:And I doubt they could care less about your opinion.
'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.
Baffled of Totton, Totton says...
9:44am Thu 9 Oct 08
flower49, Holbury says...
9:44am Thu 9 Oct 08
10 Minute Man, Bitterne says...
10:01am Thu 9 Oct 08
Baffled of Totton wrote: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.
“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!!!
AngrySotonResident, says...
10:09am Thu 9 Oct 08
Dr Alimantado, Babylon says...
11:30am Thu 9 Oct 08
Baffled of Totton wrote:True.
“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!!!
merckxy, Eastleigh says...
1:08pm Thu 9 Oct 08
Adrian Smith, Planet Earth says...
4:41pm Thu 9 Oct 08
chubunkin wrote:I guess the Echo reported it because it was used as mitigation in the Court case.
'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.
obelisker, Southampton says...
8:45pm Thu 9 Oct 08
paul b, Mottisfont says...
10:19pm Thu 9 Oct 08
H.R.H. KING MUSH , WOOLSTON says...
1:14am Fri 10 Oct 08
paul b wrote:Sorry - could you repeat that?
SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM SCUM
Finlay, Des Moines Iowa says...
3:16am Fri 10 Oct 08
1234, cyprus says...
10:48am Sun 12 Oct 08
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Forest Resident, Marchwood says...
9:09am Thu 9 Oct 08