A woman from Fife who conned the benefits agency out of thousands by hiding a family inheritance has been given time to pay back the money.
Thandilyn MacMaster was told she had until July this year to replace at least half of the £5,846 she obtained fraudulently.
Sentence was deferred for four months for good behaviour and for MacMaster to continue making repayments.
The court previously heard how she cheated the benefits agency out of nearly £6,000 after failing to declare she had inherited money from her late mother.
MacMaster, 46, from Strathmiglo, admitted carrying out the social security fraud by failing to alert the agency to her change in financial circumstances.
Fraud stems from mother’s death
Dundee Sheriff Court was told MacMaster had initially started paying back the fraudulent claim at £100 per month and would be halfway to the full amount this summer.
She admitted illegally obtaining £5,846 in benefits to which she was not entitled.
Fiscal depute Gavin Burton told the court: “It stemmed from the death of the accused’s mother.
“Money was received when she cashed in her mother’s pension.”
Solicitor David Sinclair, defending, said: “The line was crossed whereby she received an inheritance from her mother.
“She has had difficulty following her mother’s protracted illness and then death and the loss of that support network for her children.
“She has been a bit of a maelstrom of emotions.”
