A woman who fraudulently claimed £24,000 in benefits has been spared jail, The Westmorland Gazette reports.
Jayne Aspinall, 40, was given a fair deal by the judge because of her ‘exceptional’ circumstances.
Aspinall, 40, from Little Urswick, Cumbria, must complete 150 hours’ unpaid community work for receiving regular overpayments in council tax benefit, income support and housing benefit over two years.
Appearing at Preston Crown Court, she pleaded guilty to three offences of failing to notify a change of circumstances.
Sentencing at Lancaster Crown Court, Recorder Rylands said: “This is a very significant offence but the remorse I’m told you experienced and the trauma of court proceedings convince me to take an exceptional course in this case.”
Aspinall was spared jail in order to care for her own child, plus a 16-year-old cousin whose mother had died, and a 91-year-old grandparent.
The court heard that the mother-of-three, who works part time at a fish and chip shop, began accepting overpayments in August 2007, based on the false understanding that she was living alone, with children.
This continued until October 2009 when the Inland Revenue were tipped off that her partner Paul Simpson was living with her.
Mr Simpson, with whom Aspinall has a child, paid for a TV licence at the address and was spotted leaving the house on 23 occasions.
Barrister Richard Archer, defending, said: “It’s not a sophisticated crime, she said she was doing it for a quiet life.”
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