Vow to repay cash in £15k benefit scam

with pocketing more than £20,000 but the prosecution accepted her guilty pleas to reduced amounts.

She admitted that between January 6, 2015, and June 12, 2018, at her Perth home, she knowingly failed to give the Department of Work and Pensions prompt notification of a change in her circumstances which she knew would affect her entitlement to income support.

She didn’t inform the authorities she possessed capital in excess of the prescribed limits and was paid £5000 - it had originally been alleged that she claimed £7469.41.

She also pocketed £10,000 in housing benefit from Perth and Kinross Council between January 12, 2015, and June 24, 2018.

She was previously charged with conning the council out of £13,197.52.

Depute fiscal Michael Sweeney said an investigation by the Department of Work and Pensions revealed that she had deposited “around £64,000” into her account on January 6, 2015.

He added: “It was confirmed she was the legal owner of that sum of money.”

Solicitor John McLaughlin pointed out that prior to January, 2015, Fergusson had been entitled to benefits and it had started out as a “legitimate claim.”

Under the terms of the will left by her partner, the payment from his estate went to her daughter.

He accepted it had initially gone through her own bank account as the child, who suffers from autism, was only 10 at the time.

She was now 13 and the cash was held in her name.

Fergusson was the teenager’s carer and she also looked after her 72-year-old mother who was unwell.

As of this month, she had repaid £1600 towards the £10,000, adding: “It will take something like 75 months to repay it in full.”

He added: “She does intend to repay it in full.

“Although she’s not benefited from the money paid in (to her account), she didn’t tell the benefits office of the payment.”

Sheriff Keith O’Mahoney told the accused she was “very much on the cusp of a custodial sentence” but imposed a Community Payback Order as a “direct alternative.”

The accused will be supervised for 18 months and was ordered to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work within the next six months.