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A benefits cheat who claimed she couldn’t walk or dress herself has been unmasked - after being caught changing her outfit up to three times a day.
Former-hospital worker Glenys Moon, 55, of Deal, stole more than £11,000 posing as being severely disabled for three years, before government sleuths tracked her down.
Moon, who worked as a medical secretary at Margate’s QEQM Hospital, claimed on forms her daughter helped with her care.
But Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) investigators witnessed Moon filling her car, leaving the house and getting changed up to three times a day, according to prosecutor Shona Probert.
Her daughter denied playing a role in her mother’s care when confronted by investigators, the court heard.
Moon, of Woodstock Road, pleaded guilty to making a dishonest statement on her claims form at a previous hearing. She was sentenced to nine months in prison suspended for 18 months and placed on a four month curfew.
Mitigating, Phil Rowley urged Judge Simon James to suspend the sentence so Moon’s son, who has special needs can be cared for.
His client was remorseful and had begun paying the money back in monthly direct debits, he added.
Canterbury Crown Court on Thursday heard Moon’s son is due to start studying at a special needs school to “help him flourish.”
Judge James pointed out her son’s education would now be paid for the very “honest taxpayers”, who Moon previously fleeced.
“You are a greedy and thoroughly selfish individual,” he said.
“You were seen freely walking and seen changing up to three times a day without assistance.There are hundreds of thousands of people who have difficulties making ends meet, they don’t resort to dishonesty.
“Every pound you defraud from the state is a pound taken from someone genuinely in need.”
Moon, who walks with a stick, wept in the dock as the judge passed his sentence.
She pleaded guilty to dishonestly failing to notify a change of circumstance and two counts of dishonestly making a false statement to obtain payment between 2014-2017.
A DWP spokesman said: “Benefit fraud is a crime that diverts money from those who really need it. In addition to any sentence imposed by the court, people must pay back all the money they falsely obtained.”
“We have zero tolerance of anyone fraudulently claiming benefits and will take swift action to investigate, supporting our partners and prosecutors to bring them to justice.”
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