£100,000 Telford benefits cheat spared prison

A Telford woman who falsely claimed nearly £100,000 in benefits over a 20-year period has been spared an immediate jail sentence.

Margaret Rose Groom, 67, of Melbourne Close, Dawley, was caught cheating the public purse following a tip-off to the Department of Work and Pensions.

At Shrewsbury Crown Court today, she was given a 30-week jail sentence suspended for 18 months, a 12-month supervision order, and was also given a six-month electronically monitored curfew order from 7pm to 7am.

Groom had previously admitted cheating the public of revenue in relation to income support and pension credit, and also admitted evading liability by deception in relation to housing and council tax benefit.

The total amount fraudulently claimed is estimated to be about £99,000.

Sentencing Groom, Judge Michael Dudley said: "The figures mentioned by the Crown are very substantial. We don't know precisely how much you've defrauded because we know to begin with the claim was not a fraudulent claim.

"This is not a case where you have been living a champagne lifestyle, very far from it, you have had a very difficult life, for a variety of reasons, largely concerned with the partners you have had over the years.

"Friends and neighbours speak very highly of you. I know you are in poor health and that's probably been contributed to by the fact that this has taken a long time to come to court."

The charges span a period of 20 years from 1989 to 2009.

Steve Milne, spokesman for the Department for Work and Pensions, said: "A tip off was received that Margaret Groom was still living with her partner while claiming benefits as a single person.

"An investigation took place and evidence was collated showing this to be true."

By Hannah Costigan