Social club manager falsely claimed £14k

A social club manager who fraudulently claimed more than £14,000 in benefits by failing to declare she had more working hours has been ordered to do 200 hours unpaid work.

Joy Cooper had correctly claimed housing and council tax benefits in 2006 when she started at Brownhills Working Men's Club for four hours a week. At the time she also worked as a cleaner at Walsall Council.

But Mrs Kerry Munro, prosecuting, told Walsall Magistrates Court yesterday that the fraud came to light when the defendant filled in a claims form.

In the review form she gave details of her current working hours and income.

It revealed her hours of work significantly increased at the Hednesford Road club while her council contract ended in 2007. It was also revealed that between 2006 and 2011 she was overpaid a total of £14,049.

Mrs Munro said 44-year-old Cooper, of Tamar Close, Brownhills, had admitted not opening letters previously sent from the department and had spent the extra income on living expenses.

"She agreed that her circumstances had changed. She said she knew her employment and hours made a difference to her weekly benefit entitlement. When she started at the club in 2006 it was £64 per week, however, that had increased gradually increased," said Mrs Munro.

"She thought she had written a letter when the changes happened."

Cooper had admitted two counts of failing to notify of a change in circumstances at an earlier hearing.

Mr Roger Owen, defending, said Cooper had started to repay the money from her income.

"She kept her payslips over the years and the department has been able to calculate exactly how much is owed."

Chairman of the bench Mr Barrie Sims ordered her to carry our 200 hours unpaid work in the community. She must also pay £390 costs.

"This is a quite a serious offence. As you are paying it back we are not going down the route of custody," Mr Sims added.