Theft from public purse gets two women community service

Monday 27 August 2018

Guernsey's Magistrate Court has given two women community service, in two separate cases, which saw them both make false statements to social security so they would benefit financially.

Laura McBride, made a gain of £1,304.22 by failing to declare her change in circumstances and she was sentenced to 90 hours of community service when she appeared in court last week. Deejay Osborne received an overpayment from social security of £600 after false statements saying she had returned to work two months later than she had and for that she was given 80 hours of community service.

In Guernsey's Magistrate's Court the prosecution said that Mc Bride was claiming money as a single person, but it had come to investigators attention that she was actually in a relationship. After looking on Facebook and seeing that she did have a partner the investigators started to keep an eye on her property. The court heard that McBride was an experienced claimant and knew she had to disclose anyone who stayed more than one night a week as a change in circumstance.

The surveillance showed that the partner in question was staying most nights and McBride was then questioned. In mitigation her defence stated that McBride had suffered a couple of bereavements and had needed the company and support of her partner.

Not reporting her change in circumstance resulted in an overpayment by social security of £1,304.22.

In sentencing Judge Graeme McKerrell stated that the amount gained was not insignificant and any amount of money stolen from the public purse would be taken seriously. He addressed her as an experienced claimant and further said: "fraud on the public purse is always going to be treated seriously."

He sentenced McBride to 90 hours community service as a direct alternative to three months in prison.

Pictured: Magistrate Graeme McKerrell 

In a further separate deception case, the court heard last week that Osborne made and signed two false statements to social security stating that she was returning to work on 1 November following the birth of her child. She had in fact returned to work in September gaining £600 from the public purse during this time. 

Even when questioned and asked for documented evidence of her start date Osborne continued to claim she had only started back in November.

In sentencing the judge noted that not only did Osborne make two false statements she was also persistent and belligerent when challenged. He said: "It is not the highest amount, but it is the public money and theft from the public purse."

He sentenced her to 80 hours of community service and said to mark the seriousness that this was as a direct alternative to two months in prison.