A mum who swindled £88,000 in benefits was spared jail because of the impact it would have on her four children.
Louise Halvorsen, 35, falsely claimed she was a single mum living alone in Birchen Road, Halewood over “12 years of dishonesty”.
Liverpool Crown Court heard how she was actually in an on-off relationship with Mark Belledonne, who stayed at her address and supported the family.
Eric Lamb, prosecuting, said Halvorsen claimed housing benefit, income support, working tax credits and council tax benefit.
She claimed Mr Belledonne lived “occasionally” at the house, in order to look after his children.
Mr Lamb said: “Far from that being the position, Mr Belledonne’s parents said he wasn’t living with them.
“Applications for finance, passport applications and car insurance indicated he was living with the family and was working.
“There was evidence of payments from his bank account to that of the defendant’s.”
Halvorsen admitted three counts of failing to notify a change in circumstances, dishonestly making a false statement and being knowingly concerned in fraud.
Stephen Polson, defending, said his client was a “caring and loving parent” with children aged between 18 months and 15-years-old.
He said: “If you look at the sum involved and divide it by 12, it doesn’t lead to any grand lifestyle. These were basic needs being covered for.
“This matter has been hanging over her since the middle of 2014. She has been terrified of these proceedings.
“She has written a letter to your honour, which explains to some extent the remorse she feels, the fear she has and the stupidity she realises she has been guilty of.”
Halvorsen sobbed in the dock as Mr Polson urged Judge Andrew Menary, QC, to impose a suspended sentence.
The judge replied: “It’s an awful lot of money. What sort of message would that send out, if people who steal £88,000 don’t go to prison?”
Mr Polson said Halvorsen had suffered from depression and been through “misery”, adding that prison would have a “devastating” effect on her children.
He said: “There is no likelihood of her re-offending.”
Judge Menary said she defrauded a very large sum from the benefits system by pretending she was not regularly cohabiting with the father of her children.
He said: “What it means is there is less to go around and less to meet the needs of others.
“The courts will always contemplate an immediate prison term for this type of offending.”
However, the judge accepted the claims were not dishonest from the outset and that Halvorsen pleaded guilty at an ealy stage.
He said: “If circumstances were otherwise and you went to prison today you would have nobody to blame but yourself.
“You have come perilously close today to going to prison – you need to understand that.”
Judge Menary handed Halvorsen eight months in jail, suspended for a year, plus 12 months’ supervision.
He ordered her to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and a three-month home curfew from 8pm to 6am.
Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/