Motherwell woman in £24,500 benefits fraud

Apr 7 2011 by Leona Greenan, Hamilton Advertiser

A BENEFITS cheat who claimed over £24,500 to which she was not entitled has avoided jail.

Motherwell woman Therese Cashan was last week sentenced to 18 months’ probation and ordered to pay back the money.

The 58-year-old, whose address was given as Cornelia Street, was found to have fiddled the system back in April 2002.

The fraudster appeared at Airdrie Sheriff Court on March 1, where she pled guilty to receiving £20,782.78 in housing benefit and £3,730.39 council tax benefit that she wasn’t entitled to.

Her sentence had been deferred until March 24, when she was sentenced to the probation order. That order will be reassessed in March 2012.

An extensive investigation by North Lanarkshire Council’s benefit fraud team resulted in her successful prosecution.

Andrew McLean, sanctions and fraud manager, North Lanarkshire Council, said: “This case shows North Lanarkshire Council is determined to ensure benefit is only paid to those who are in need of it. This should assure the public that all information received by the benefit fraud team will be rigorously investigated.”

Brian Cook, head of Revenues at North Lanarkshire Council, said: “We carry out checks on information provided to support benefit claims and investigate any claims made regarding alleged fraud.

“This latest prosecution underlines how seriously the council and the courts regard this form of fraud.

“People who commit this crime should be in no doubt that they will be caught.”

As well as a possible jail sentence, those caught committing benefit theft end up with a criminal record.

This can impact on future employment, insurance and credit applications too.

If you have any information regarding benefit fraud then call the Benefit Fraud Hotline on 0800 953 0400.

The telephone number offers members of the public access to a 24-hour-a-day answering service. The hotline is staffed by investigation officers during office hours.