Fraudster jailed for illegally subletting her council home (From Croydon Guardian)

Fraudster jailed for illegally subletting her council home

8:00am Sunday 24th February 2013 in News

A fraudster who illegally sublet her council house pocketing £50,000 has been jailed.

Hildrith Bennett of Bramley Hill, South Croydon, was sentenced to eight weeks in prison after pleading guilty to three counts of benefit fraud and one fraud offence.

Croydon Magistrates Court heard since February 2007, the 51-year-old had been renting out her council home for £600 a month, while claiming housing and council tax benefits.

Magistrates were told Bennett pocketed around £50,000, which the council are in the process of recovering.

The case is the first time Croydon Council has carried out an illegal subletting prosecution using the Fraud Act. The property has since been reposessed.

Last month, Nicola Chin, 37, was ordered to give up her council home in Pawson's Road, Broad Green, after she was found to have been illegally subletting it.

Councillor Dudley Mead, cabinet member for housing, said: "I hope this sentence will send out a deterrent to those who think they can defraud the benefits and social housing system.

"It is a council priority to ensure hard-working, honest taxpayers are not cheated by fraudsters such as this."