£43k fraud woman failed to declare family inheritance

AFORMER NHS worker who falsely claimed more than £43,000 in benefits said she did not know she had to declare her inheritance.

Sharon Slattery admitted three counts of dishonestly failing to disclose matters to the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) whereby she received benefits she was not entitled to between October 13, 2011 and June 9, 2017.

Swansea Crown Court heard the 47-year-old, of Heol Eifion Wyn, Llansamlet, Swansea, had been claiming employment support allowance (ESA) as she was unable to work as a result of various health problems.

She also received housing and council tax benefit.

Evidence gathered during the course of DWP investigations heard she held £16,113.18 capital on October 19, 2011, which reached £46,370.39 on May 1, 2013.

The total overpayment made to Slattery was £43,528.20.

Mitigating, James Hartson said: “This is a lady of entirely clean character, and made full admissions when investigations were carried out in June 2017.

“She did not realise that it included inheritance money

which she received. She did not set out to defraud.

“She worked for the NHS for 17 years and was forced to retire due to ill-health from a job she was good at.

“She was held in very, very, high regard from those who worked with her and employed her.

“I accept she flew two long-haul flights during that period, but she did not fund a lavish lifestyle, and has paid back over £3,000 of her ESA and over £2,500 of housing benefits.

“She is completely mortified to find herself in the dock of crown court.

“It’s something she is deeply ashamed of.

“She has lost her otherwise good character.

“The defendant is a lady who has a series of physical disabilities. She suffers from arthritis and vasculitis.

“This is not someone who set out to defraud the state or the benefit system.”

Judge Geraint Walters, sentencing Slattery, said: “There is understandable public disquiet when they hear of cases like this.

“The money available to the state to channel to the needy is limited.

“You’re only 47, but you are in poor health relatively speaking.

“You are living in Gwalia accommodation designed to your needs.

“You have no social life to speak of apart from visiting your relatives.”

He went on: “You failed to disclose inheritance, but I do wonder whether you turned a blind eye to that.

“Most people would have asked the question.

“I’m sceptical if you are quite that dense.”

Slattery was given a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

Following the sentencing, a DWP spokesman said: “Benefit fraud is a crime that diverts money from those who really need it, in this case through a deliberate and sustained deception.

“In addition to any sentence imposed by the court, people must pay back all the money they falsely obtained.

“We have zero tolerance of anyone fraudulently claiming benefits and will take swift action to investigate, supporting our partners and prosecutors to bring them to justice – as we did in this case,” added the spokesman.