Howden woman given suspended sentence after £30,000 benefits 'mistake'

A woman from East Yorkshire illegally pocketed nearly £30,000 after failing to tell the benefits authorities she was no longer eligible for Universal Credit.

Joanne Conway, 50, pleaded guilty to failing to notify the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) of a change in her circumstances.

Hull Crown Court heard there must have come a point when she realised that she should not have been getting the cash - but she did not make a declaration.

Between 15 October 2020 and 14 July last year, Conway, of Knedlington Walk in Howden, East Yorkshire, held capital over the legal limit for a benefit claim.

Conway, of Knedlington Walk in Howden, East Yorkshire, originally denied the charge and the case was due to be adjourned for a trial.

However she changed her plea to guilty after the matter was stood down for her to have further discussions with her barrister. 

When the case returned to court less than half an hour later, she pleaded guilty.Conway also admitted a charge of failing to notify East Riding of Yorkshire Council of a change in her circumstances over council tax reduction between 15 October 2020 and 14 November last year, again involving having capital over the legal limit.

Before the change of plea, defence barrister Hannah Turner said: "There was no dishonest intent. It was a genuine mistake. 

"She has paid the money back soon after she was notified of the mistake. She accepts that it was a genuine mistake. It was not something she did with knowledge."

Judge John Thackray KC asked for the case to be stood down for further discussions about the original not guilty plea and indicated that he would finalise the case that day, without jailing Conway, if she pleaded guilty.

At the resumed hearing shortly afterwards, Conway changed her plea to guilty.

Miss Turner said that the total amount of money that was wrongly claimed was £28,922 but it had all been paid back on 28 November last year, two or three weeks after Conway was interviewed.

The court heard that the claim was not fraudulent from the outset. Conway is currently working self-employed as well as in an employed position.The court heard that Conway, who has two teenage children, started her employment on 6 November and was working full-time.

Judge Thackray told Conway: "This didn't start off as a dishonest venture but you obviously realise that there came a point where you knew that you should not be receiving this money.

"This is much-needed public money."You have never really been in trouble before. You have paid all this money back. There has been no loss to the taxpayer."Conway was given a six-month suspended prison sentence and ordered to do 50 hours of unpaid work.

Judge Thackray added: "I have no doubt that an immediate custodial sentence would have had a pretty devastating effect on you and your family."

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