£29,000 benefits cheat caught
A fraudster appeared on indictment at Campbeltown Sheriff Court after falsely claiming tax credits. Sentence was deferred on Joan McCallum, 47, of 19A Calton Avenue, Campbeltown, who pleaded guilty to obtaining payments of tax credits to the value of £29,000 by failing to report a material fact, namely that she was living with her husband. McCallum was called first, last Thursday, in front of a packed public gallery. The court was told that between April 6, 2011 and July 29, 2016 McCallum had obtained the child tax credits while her husband was in full time employment as a lorry driver. Procurator fiscal depute Eoin McGinty explained that working tax credits were a means tested benefit and that on October 27, 2015 HMRC received an anonymous call. The caller said that McCallum was living with her partner between the specified dates and had been receiving payments. The court was told details about where McCallum’s husband had worked and the nature of the employment. Mr McGinty said that in March 2011 a mortgage had been taken with Clydesdale Bank and repayments were paid from a joint account. Mr McGinty said: ‘McCallum was interviewed by HMRC officers and demonstrated considerable understanding of the benefits system.’ Sheriff Patrick Hughes said that he would hear mitigation at the sentencing hearing. Sheriff Hughes said it was a serious matter and that custody would be a possibility. He deferred sentence for a month, for a social work report and a restriction of liberty assessment. Mr McGinty called for a confiscation order as part of McCallum’s sentence.