General Discussion
Mother-of-eight, 36, avoids jail after scrounging nearly £100,000 in illegal benefit claimsshe made on behalf of relatives living in Pakistan in return for going on a course to teach her it's not a victimless crime
- Saaba Mahmood, 36, took state benefit handouts on behalf of her aunt and uncle
- She knew they were living in Pakistan but 'didn't realise' they couldn't claim
- Admitted four charges of failing to disclose information to make a gain and one offence of fraud
- Given 16 months jail suspended for 18 months at Minshull Street Crown Court
- Will ask take part in 15-day offenders programme estimated to cost £1,500
and here's another example of benefit fraud:
Maqsood Khan of CPS Mersey Cheshire's Fraud Unit, said: “Jonathan Lucas and Melissa Ellis are a pair of serial fraudsters who were falsely claiming a variety of benefits while living a very nice lifestyle indeed.
One gets let off with a slap on the wrist, and the others get sent to jail for a couple of years. Not very equitable, is it?
Seems it depends on the circumstances:
An £85,000 benefit cheat has avoided jail despite breaching her suspended prison sentence by shoplifting.
Jeanette Bishop, aged 56, swindled money from the state for nine years by claiming she was living alone – when in fact she was sharing a home with a working partner.
https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/plymouth-news/plymouth-benefit-cheat-who-swindled-3299822
