Sale resident convicted of benefit fraud (From Messenger Newspapers)

Sale resident convicted of benefit fraud

2:48pm Thursday 24th January 2013 in News

A SALE resident has been convicted of benefit fraud after failing to inform Trafford Council of changes in her circumstances.

Donna Tingle, aged 48, of Bedford Avenue, Sale, was convicted on January 21 of dishonestly obtaining Housing and Council Tax Benefit amounting to £6,744.02 between March 2009 and December 2010.

Council counter fraud officers were alerted to the fact she had failed to declare that she had started work in a nursing home following a data matching exercise.

She opted for a trial at Manchester Crown Court after initially pleading not guilty at Trafford Magistrates Court last February.

She eventually pleaded guilty at crown court and was sentenced to an eight-week curfew between the hours of 8am to 6pm and will have to pay back all the money that she falsely claimed from Trafford Council.

Executive councillor Sean Anstee said: "The Council regularly conducts data matching exercises with other agencies meaning it is not too difficult to find discrepancies in information.

"Let this serve as a warning to those who are committing this type of crime that you will eventually be caught out."

If you suspect anyone of benefit fraud contact Trafford Council on 0161 912 2852 or via Freefone number 0800 328 6340.