Gravesend benefit fraudster Mary Cole handed 300 hours of unpaid work
by Julia Roberts
A mum who falsely claimed more than £43,000 in
benefits has been ordered to carry out a staggering 300
hours in unpaid work.
A judge at Maidstone Crown Court made the unusual move of
imposing the maximum amount of hours that can be undertaken in a
year as part of a suspended sentence.
It comes after the court heard how for eight years mum-of-three
Mary Cole fraudulently applied for income support and housing and
council tax benefits.
The 40-year-old, of Ingoldsby Road, Gravesend, claimed on
several renewal forms she was a single parent.
Investigations revealed her husband, Duncan, was not only living
in the matrimonial home but had a job.
The court heard Cole was therefore not entitled to any of the
benefits she received between January 2001 and November 2008.
Cole admitted one offence of obtaining a money transfer by
deception between June 2004 and November 2008.
She also admitted six offences of making a false
representation between January 2001 and November 2004.
The total amount received by Cole in the form of the three
benefits was £43,273.53.
On Friday, Cole, who works at Ebbsfleet Football Club, was given
a one-year jail term suspended for two years.
Judge Andrew Patience QC told Cole it was "not without some
hesitation" that he was imposing a suspended sentence.
26/04/10
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