Mother jailed over £110k benefits con
A mother who pocketed more than £110,000 during a benefits scam, using the money to fund clothes and holidays, was starting a 15-month jail sentence today.
Valarie Garbett repeatedly filled in claim forms stating that her lorry driver husband was out of work when he had a full-time job.
The 53-year-old mother of two from Randle Road, Stourbridge, illegally collected income support, council tax and housing benefits, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard yesterday.
Her husband, Philip Garbett, aged 57, got three pairs of glasses worth a total of £590 for free by repeating the lie that he was unemployed, explained prosecutor Miss Siobhan Collins.
The racket ran from 2003 until it was uncovered in 2011 and 'was fraudulent from the outset', she concluded.
Mrs Garbett told investigators she launched the scam after learning others were getting away with similar offences, the court was told. The £110,000 included more than £84,000 income support and £26,000 in council and housing tax benefit.
Mr Simon Williams, defending, said: "Mrs Garbett fully accepts her responsibility but once this started she did not know how to stop."
She admitted making false statements to receive £110,000 benefits. Her husband pleaded guilty to offences involving £590 worth of NHS optical treatment.
Mr Garbett, also from Randle Road, received a 12-month community order with 40 hours unpaid work and was ordered to repay £590.
