A woman who fraudulently claimed £35,000 in benefits was told by a sheriff she had “defrauded hard-working people”.
Jacqueline Spankie repeatedly told the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) she was single when she is married with two children.
Despite being quizzed on her status several times between 2009 and 2014 she was adamant she was single.
But a tip-off led to an investigation that uncovered the deception that resulted in her being paid £35,000 in working and child tax credits to which she was not entitled.
Deputy fiscal Eilidh Robertson had told Dundee Sheriff Court that the probe found they had been on a family holiday to Florida in 2013 and that her husband, Ross, was named as Spankie’s next of kin at her work.
She said: “On numerous occasions she reiterated that there had been no change in her circumstances to disclose to DWP.
“On some occasions she was actively asked if it was a single or joint application and she insisted it was single.
“When investigators got in touch with Ross Spankie asking him to interview she phoned crying and said she had opened the letter to her partner which stated she was being investigated for tax credit fraud.
“She said her partner knew nothing of her claiming tax credits. The total obtained was £35,000.”
Spankie, 37, of Graham Court, Barns of Claverhouse, pleaded guilty on indictment to a charge under the Tax Credits Act.
David Duncan, defending, said: “The money has been repaid in full with some family support and through withdrawing money from their mortgage.
“She has two young children. She has fully accepted her involvement and she has genuine insight into the significance of this form of offending.
“Clearly if people that shouldn’t be getting benefit are, then people who should be perhaps are not.”
Sheriff Elizabeth Munro imposed a community payback order with 300 hours of unpaid work.
She said: “I’m not imposing a prison sentence, not because I feel sorry for you, but because I’m more concerned for your family.
“You have defrauded the community hard-working people and I think you need to pay them back.”