A benefits fraudster who falsely claimed more than £75,000 in tax credits has been jailed for more than two years.
Angela Clark was rumbled after she got involved in a legal wrangle with her deceased partner’s mum.
Despite claiming for 12 years that she was living as a single mother with two children, she signed an affidavit in a civil case against Jennifer Ellis to prove that she was the co-habitee and partner of David Ellis, in order for her and their daughter to gain from his will.
In addition, her name appeared on Mr Ellis’s tombstone, which states “loving partner of Angela”. Clark, 40, of Fintry Road, claimed single person’s working tax credits and child tax credits amounting to £75,616.05 while Mr Ellis was living with her between 2002 and 2014.
Clark admitted committing the offence between October 31 2002 and December 19 2014, in Dens Road, Ballindean Place and Stirling Street.
Sheriff Alastair Carmichael, who jailed Clark for 26 months, said: ‘‘The state’s money is provided by taxpayers so that’s a fraud on the whole community.
“There’s no alternative to a custodial sentence.”
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