A woman who fraudulently claimed £32,000 worth of working and child tax credits was jailed for nine months.
Margaret Grieve, 53, of Finella Terrace, was today given the prison sentence after admitting one charge of benefit fraud at Dundee Sheriff Court.
Grieve admitted committing benefit fraud by failing to declare she was maintaining a common household with Frederick Grieve.
She admitted fraudulently claiming a total of £32,000 worth of working tax credit and child tax credit over a three-year period, at her home address in Finella Terrace.
Fiscal depute Eilidh Robertson told the court Grieve worked for the NHS at the time of the offence.
She said HMRC launched an investigation after receiving information Grieve was maintaining a common household with her husband.
The fiscal said: “The accused’s Facebook page said she married Frederick Grieve in 1990 and her profile picture was a picture of them together.
“Various household bills were paid by Frederick Grieve and they had a joint bank account.”
Solicitor David Sinclair, defending, told the court Grieve would lose her job if she was jailed and offered his client repay the money instead.
Grieve admitted fraudulently claiming £32,000 of working and child tax credits between April 6 2008 and April 6 2011.
Sheriff Tom Hughes said: “It was a course of action over a number of years and a considerable amount of money was involved. Unfortunately, a custodial sentence is inevitable.”
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