Unpaid work for benefit cheat

A CORPACH woman has been ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work in the community for falsely claiming more than £15,000 in benefits.

Megan Dunlop, of Lady Margaret Drive, was receiving housing benefit, council tax benefit and income support as a sole tenant in the Fort William village while her partner, who worked full time, was living at the same address, Fort William sheriff court heard on Tuesday September 15. At a hearing earlier this month, the 22-year- old admitted failing to disclose relevant information to Highland council and the Department for Work and Pensions between April 2012 and March 2014. During the two-year period, Dunlop pocketed £ 8,088.18 in housing benefit and council tax benefit, as well as £7,115.79 in income support.

Defending solicitor

Hamish Melrose said his client thought she was entitled to the money because her partner worked away from home during the week.

At sentencing, which had been deferred until Tuesday for background reports, sheriff Richard Davidson said: ‘You can’t have not known that you had a partner who was working. This can’t have been anything other than deliberate so let’s not have any more nonsense about that.’