A Cheshire East woman who admitted fraudulently claiming more than £9,000 in benefits has been given 100 hours’ community service.
Following an investigation by Cheshire East Council’s benefit investigations team, Shannon McCormick, 33, pleaded guilty (on December 16) at South Cheshire Magistrates Court (Crewe) to obtaining by deception means-tested benefits. She had fraudulently claimed income support, housing benefit and Council Tax benefit over a 17-month period.
McCormick, of McNeil Avenue, Crewe, had said she was a single parent and on a low income – but she was living with her partner, Alan Edge, who was working.
The benefits overpayment of £9,139 was in relation to offences committed against the Department of Work and Pensions and Cheshire East Council between November 9, 2009 and March 20, 2011.
Magistrates ordered McCormick to repay the money she had fraudulently claimed and a further £100 costs. She was also sentenced to 100 hours’ community service.
Councillor David Brown, Cheshire East Cabinet member with responsibility for performance and capacity, said: “As a Council, we would not be serving taxpayers well if we didn’t take action against a selfish minority of people who try to defraud the public purse and shirk their responsibilities.
“Cheshire East will not tolerate selfish people cheating honest taxpayers. Such fraudsters will be rigorously pursued through the courts and brought to justice.
“Benefit fraud robs hard-working communities of resources needed to pay for crucial public services. Such criminal acts rob councils and the Government of hard-pressed funds that could be spent helping the most vulnerable and needy people in our communities.”
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