Being accused of making fraudulent Covid grant application was 'traumatising' for former councillor's wife
Being accused of making a fraudulent Covid-19 grant application was "traumatising" for the wife of a former senior Wolverhampton councillor, a court heard.
Neena Kumari said she had been sleeping upstairs when police officers arrived at her and her husband's home on June 5, 2020, over the business support grant.
The visit by "many officers" related to a £10,000 application made for Pizza Plus, based The Orchard in Bilston, which prosecutors claim had been fraudulent.
The 39-year-old, and husband and ex-councillor Harman Banger, were convicted of fraud by false representation but are appealing at Birmingham Crown Court.
Kumari, questioned by her barrister Ms Felicia Davy, told the appeal she made the application for the Covid-19 support and said she had been eligible for it.
When asked whether she did her best to answer questions posed by Wolverhampton Council, who asked for more detail in April 2020, the co-appellant said she had.
The 39-year-old said she was made aware of the fraud allegation on June 5 when many police officers showed up at her door and she was arrested, the court was told.
Kumari was later "de-arrested" to allow her to attend to her children and arranged to go to a police station, where she answered "no comment" during the interview.
When asked by Ms Davy how it felt to have the allegation hanging over her, the co-appellant told the court "it was just traumatising" before denying any wrongdoing.
Pizza Plus was closed down in December 2020 after reopening post-lockdown, with Kumari saying it was a "headache" and she "couldn't take it no more" with looking after her children and the court dates.
When questioned by Banger's barrister Mr Michael Goodwin KC if she could have made meals at her home, rather than Pizza Plus, during the time she was trading, the co-appellant was "no possibility" she could have done that.
The 39-year-old, of Bilston Road in Wolverhampton alongside 41-year-old Banger, she had made around 13 meals a day, with more on Friday, and she was delivering food costing £5 a meal to her pre-set customers who had agreed the deal earlier on.
When asked by prosecuting barrister Mr Daniel Oscroft how much flour she used to make the pizzas, the co-appellant said it "wasn't my department" with a man– who used to run a nearby pizza business – carrying out the process.
She added she did make pizzas but received help over how much flour to include and, when questioned over toppings, said it varied with cheese or other ingredients which had been picked up.
When asked by Mr Oscroft if people could choose their toppings, Kumari responded "no" and said her customers told her it "doesn't matter" which she chose and this would change when the business became a full takeaway.
She told the court she had used her savings of around £4,000 to fund Pizza Plus, and when asked if there would be any messages relating to the business evident on her phone over the period she replied she "never used" it.
When questioned if she used it to say she was running late, or picked up a call from someone to change their order, she said "no" with her customers saying if she couldn't make it on time she would go elsewhere.
Kumari said she didn't make any texts to her husband "who was too busy" or anyone else, before adding there would be "no business activity" on phone.
Judge Peter Carr oversaw the hearing alongside two justices. The hearing continues.
