Suspended jail term for Sandwell mother's false benefit claims

Nusrat Bibi, of Mace Street, Cradley Heath, appeared at Wolverhampton Crown Court after a jury found her guilty of four counts of benefit fraud.

The 55-year-old falsely claimed £32,700 in income support, employment support and job seekers' allowance without declaring a share in a property which she held. Mr Andrew Wallace, prosecuting, said: "It seems the defendant moved across from her house and into a house belonging to one of her children. She then made claims for benefits to which she was not entitled. Over a five-year period Mrs Bibi claimed £32,700."

Meanwhile, Mr Anthony Potter, defending Bibi, described his client as 'a lady of previous good character'.

She was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment for each offence, to run concurrently, which was suspended for two years.

Sentencing her, Judge John Warner said: "You have been convicted by the jury of obtaining benefits to which you were not entitled. You claimed income support, employment support and job seekers' allowance over a period of five years, totaling more than £32,000.You failed to declare capital or notify your change in circumstances in relation to capital you had, being a share in a property. I'm quite satisfied that this was deliberate fraud from the outset and the jury by convicting you decided that, despite all the things you said, you knew exactly what you were doing when you were filling out those forms."

Bibi was found guilty by jury on September 13 at Wolverhampton Crown Court of two counts of making false statements with a view to obtain benefits and two counts of dishonestly failing to notify a change in circumstances.