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Woman stole £40,000 in house benefits
A WOMAN who pocketed £40,000 in fraudulent benefit claims has been handed a 10-week jail sentence.
Gillian Walden, 54, from Maida Vale, amassed the sum in housing benefits over 11 years despite having £250,000 in her bank account.
She denied owning any property, but an investigation by council fraud-busters revealed that in 2003 she had bought a house worth £175,000.
Ms Walden used her married name, Clynes, to try and trick authorities.
She told the judge that an obsessive compulsive disorder prevented her from managing money.
At City of Westminster Magistrates’ Court, Judge Nicholas Evans branded Walden a “deliberate cheat” who tried to “manipulate the system”. At an earlier hearing, Walden was found guilty of 11 counts of making false statements.
Councillor Melvyn Caplan, cabinet member for finance said: “Benefit fraudsters’ actions are inexcusable as they are a drain on public money.” |
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