A pensioner who claimed more than £22,600 in benefits she wasn’t entitled to has dodged a prison sentence.
Pamela Strachan, 66, previously admitted making a false claim to the Department for Work and Pensions between March 2014 and October 2017.
She told the department that she was unemployed and single but in reality, Strachan was sharing a household with her partner who was in employment.
This resulted in Strachan making bogus claims for employment and support allowance worth £22,698.63 over that time period.
The Macalpine Road woman returned to the dock of Dundee Sheriff Court for sentencing before Sheriff Lorna Drummond.
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Defence solicitor Jane Caird said Strachan had struggled since the death of her daughter at the beginning of the century.
She added that Strachan has since made attempts to finance another daughter who has struggled with drug addiction.
Due to her inability to perform unpaid work because of health issues, Miss Caird conceded that a custodial sentence was a serious possibility. She told the court: “Mrs Strachan accepts that she should have been more forthcoming and didn’t keep the department of work and pensions fully informed.
“She does fully accept custody may be at the forefront of your ladyship’s mind and is prepared to go to prison for this.
“The author of the social work report suggests a restriction of liberty order with supervision.”
When placing her on a restriction of liberty order for 41 weeks with 12 months of supervision, Sheriff Drummond said: “You pleaded guilty to a really serious offence. That’s a lot of money.
“I read from the report you’ve had a lot of difficulties in your life but the court has got to mark your offending in a significant way.”
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