Fraudster cheated council out of £8,600

A benefits fraudster cheated Sandwell Council out of more than £8,600 magistrates in West Bromwich were told.

Julie Price, aged 26, yesterday pleaded guilty to failing to notify the authority that she was living with her partner between July 18 2007 and December 8 2008.

She also admitted two counts of dishonestly making a false statement by filling in benefits application forms wrongly on October 25 2007 and May 27 2008.

Mr Jeremy Swift, prosecuting on behalf of Sandwell Council, said that Price, now of Hull but who used to live in Thunderbolt Way, Tipton and Goode Close, Oldbury, filled in the forms in June 2007 and October 2007 stating that she was a lone parent with one child.

On May 25 2008 she completed a further application stating she was still living as a lone parent but now had a further child.

Checks showed that the father of the children was in employment and he had the same address as the defendant.

Price was ordered to attend an interview on December 8 last year where she admitted that her partner was living with her and had been since July 2007.

She also admitted making false declarations on application forms. The court heard she was paid £8,640.16 in housing and council tax benefit that she was not eligible to receive.

Mr Baljinder Sumon, defending, said: "When she was invited to interview she was certainly full and frank with the responses she provided.

"The reason she did that wasn't because of any greed, but because the income that she was on was very tight and there was a number of financial difficulties."

For each offence Price was given an an 18 month community order with supervision. The sentences were ordered to run concurrently.

Price was also ordered to pay £600 costs.