Benefit fraud gran jailed

8:31pm Friday 9th May 2008

A GWENT grandmother was sent to prison today for amassing £23,126 through benefit fraud.

Gillian Evans, 57, was handed a four month sentence for defrauding Torfaen Council out of council tax relief and housing benefit over a period of at least 12 years.

Evans signed council forms in 2003, 2005 and 2006 to say she was living alone at her home on Crown Close, Pontnewydd, Cwmbran, and she received the appropriate benefits.

But on investigation housing officers discovered her partner, Thomas Rogers, was also living at the property and the two even held a joint bank account.

Despite originally saying Mr Rogers was a friend who occasionally stayed over, Evans later admitted when challenged he had been living at her property for "11 or 12 years".

Evans, a mother of two, pleaded guilty to working up £19,031 in housing benefit and £4,095 in council tax relief.

On top of her custodial sentence she was ordered to pay back the money with monthly charges added to her council tax bill and a £10 payment each week to repay the housing benefit.

In handing down the sentence, Judge Roderick Denyer QC, said: "Quite simply you lied about the fact Mr Rogers was living with you. Even when challenged in 2006 you lied and said he wasn't living with you."

Matthew Cobbe, defending, said Evans had slipped into a situation she found hard to get out of.

Judge Denyer said despite his understanding Evans was a woman of good character and hard working, the only sentence he could impose was imprisonment.

A Torfaen Council spokesman said after the hearing they were pleased with the outcome. "This case sends out a strong message that Torfaen Council will prosecute benefit fraudsters.

"The court obviously took a strong view given their decision to hand down a custodial sentence," he said.