Magistrates give mum curfew order for fraud (From This is Hampshire)

Magistrates give mum curfew order for fraud

11:49am Monday 3rd March 2008 in

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A MOTHER-OF-FOUR has been electronically tagged and ordered to stay indoors at night after admitting benefit fraud.

Tracey Bird, of Quilter Road, Brighton Hill, Basingstoke, admitted unlawfully claiming £3,870.

She pleaded guilty to two counts of failing to notify Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council about her change of circumstances when receiving benefits.

Basingstoke magistrates heard that Bird received housing and council tax benefits between January 19 and March 30, and from May 25 to October 3 last year, without informing the council that her husband, Colin Bird, had been working firstly for Adecco and then for Oxoid in Basingstoke.

Bird, 42, also pleaded guilty to making a false representation after she failed to declare on May 24, 2007, on a change of address form, that her husband was in employment.

Melanie Walklate, prosecuting, said Bird was interviewed about the over-paid benefits - which amounted to £3,870.78 - in October last year.

She said: "The defendant demonstrated a clear knowledge of the benefits system and that if her income changed it would affect the benefits she received."

Mike Redpath, defending, said Bird has expe rienced severe difficulties with her four chil dren, aged 17, 16, 13 and nine, and has to visit the hospital regularly for injections for severe backpain.

He added: "As far as the offences are con cerned, she has reading and writing difficulties and if a letter arrives, she puts it on the side and waits for someone else to deal with it. In other words, she ignores the problem."

Due to Bird's health problems, the justices decided she was unsuitable for community serv ice and instead gave her a four-month curfew order, reduced to three months due to her early guilty pleas.

During that time, she will be required to wear an electronic tag and stay at her home address between 7pm and 7am every day. She was also ordered to pay £150 costs.

The over-paid benefits will be recovered sep- arately by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.