A Fife mother-of-four has narrowly avoided a prison sentence for scamming nearly £30,000 in benefits from the public purse over two years.
Nasrin Harrison Jones, of Melville Street in Lochgelly, fraudulently obtained £21,931 in child tax credits by falsely declaring her four children still lived with her, between June 2016 and August 2018.
The 43-year-old also swindled £7,500 in housing benefit as she knowingly failed to notify Fife Council employees of the change on circumstances, between December 2016 and the end of May 2018.
Sheriff Elizabeth McFarlane told Jones she was “so close to going to prison” but instead gave her a community payback order and restricted her liberty so she must stay at home from 5pm to 5am every night of the week for eight months.
The sheriff told Jones, who appeared for sentencing at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court if she breached this order she would be sent to prison.
She said it was unlikely the money will ever be paid back fully.
‘It’s like an interest-free loan’
Fiscal depute Dev Kapadia said the authorities investigated an anonymous allegation that Jones was fraudulently claiming benefits.
Inquiries were made, which confirmed none of her children lived in the house.
Jones’ defence lawyer Emma Martin, said her client had been going through a difficult time in her life at the time of offending.
She said her client now fully accepts the onus was on her to inform the DWP and feels “remorseful and deeply ashamed”.
Sheriff McFarlane told Jones: “£29,000 has been stolen from the State.
“I find it utterly incredible that for two years, you did not notice money coming into your bank that you were not entitled to.
“To sit here and blame the social work department for them not telling you that you should not be claiming anymore is utterly reprehensible.
“You are 43 years old.
“You signed the form and saw money coming into your account and have spent it and now paying it back at a rate that will never be repaid because it’s almost £30,000.
“It’s like an interest-free loan.”
Jones was tearful as she left court following her sentencing on Thursday.
