Rochdale benefit cheat convicted

A Rochdale woman falsely claimed over £27,000 in benefits

A Rochdale woman narrowly escaped immediate imprisonment for falsely claiming just over £27,000 in benefits over 3 years 7 months.

Lisa Grindrod, 28, of Curzon Road, Rochdale appeared in Bolton Crown Court yesterday (1 December 2010) following a thorough joint fraud investigation by Rochdale Borough Council and the Department of Works and Pensions. She received an 8 week prison sentence suspended on condition that she commits no offence within the next 12 months. She was given a Community Order and is also subject to a night time curfew between 8pm and 7am for the next 12 months. She is required to repay the full amount falsely claimed.

Ms Grindrod dishonestly claimed income support, housing benefit and council tax benefit as a single person despite living with a long-term partner.

It’s an offence under the Social Security Administration Act (1992) not to notify the council of any change in circumstances likely to affect the payment of benefits; which includes someone moving in with an applicant.

On several occasions Ms Grindrod claimed she was the only adult living in the Curzon Road property but fraud investigators obtained evidence that suggested otherwise and prosecuted Ms Grindrod for falsely acquiring money from public funds.

Simon Bailey, Head of Revenues and Benefits at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “It’s unacceptable for residents to be falsely claiming benefits. We’ll always investigate and seek to prosecute anyone we suspect as being a benefit cheat. We owe it to our honest tax payers to recoup their money.”

Rochdale Borough Council’s legal team led the prosecution in court and successfully brought the benefit cheat to justice.