Mum-of-three jailed for benefit fraud (From Your Local Guardian)

Worcester Park mum-of-three jailed for benefit fraud

9:30am Friday 10th February 2012 in Epsom

A mum-of-three has been jailed for three months for wrongly claiming more than £40,000 in benefits.

Emma-Jane Dahill, of Cunliffe Road, Worcester Park, whose youngest child is four, claimed benefits after failing to notify the relevant agencies she had obtained £76,119.85 from the sale of her former marital home.

His Honour Judge Addison said Dahill had transferred £50,000 to her mother’s account to conceal the money.

He said the case was so serious and deliberate that it warranted a custodial sentence.

Dahill's period of fraud ran from September 2007 until November 2010 during which she was overpaid £27,795.48 in Housing Benefit, £2,779.91 in Council Tax Benefit and £10,214.38 in Income Support - making a total loss to the public purse of £40,789.77.

She pleaded guilty to five charges when first appearing before Guildford Crown Court on Tuesday, January 3.

An investigation has now been launched, to find if Dahill has any assets that can be seized.

Councillor Neil Dallen, Chairman of the Strategy & Resources Committee said: "A single mother of three children being sent to prison shows that benefit fraud is a serious matter and fraudsters run a genuine risk of facing very severe punishment."

"In these austere times it is ever more important that benefit is paid to those most in need. Epsom and Ewell Borough Council uses many methods to detect and investigate potential abuse of benefit schemes."

Anyone with information about benefit fraud can call on 01372 732275. Calls are confidential and will be investigated.