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| Submit Comments | Comments (36) | « Previous Story | Next Story »

Benefit cheat in £32,000 rip-off

Dean Kirby

February 08, 2010

A woman has been given a suspended jail sentence after she admitted fraudulently claiming more than £32,000 benefits.

Nicola Finch, 31, failed to disclose she was working while claiming the cash for four years.

She was sentenced to four months in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered to carry out 180 hours’ unpaid work, when she appeared at Manchester Crown Court.

She had pleaded guilty to dishonestly obtaining housing and council tax benefits, and income support, between April 2005 and March last year.

Finch, of Grangemill Walk, Moston, was caught following an investigation by Manchester council’s fraud squad and officers from the Department for Work and Pensions.

They uncovered the offences using data-matching exercises designed to detect fraudulent and incorrect benefits payments.

Coun Bernard Priest, Manchester council’s executive member for finance, said after the hearing: “This woman has been stealing from the people of Manchester. The message is clear to these people, we will find out and we will prosecute.”

City treasurer Richard Paver said: “The whole community suffers when individuals commit a crime of this nature.

“Not only does it reduce the money available to those with a genuine entitlement, but it also increases the burden on the council tax payer.

“This case demonstrates our determination to ensure that offenders are dealt with using the full force of the law and do not profit from their crime. We shall use all methods at our disposal to vigorously recover the money this woman dishonestly obtained.”

| Submit Comments | Comments (36) | « Previous Story | Next Story »

Most recent user comments 25 of 36

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City treasurer Richard Paver said:

“Not only does it reduce the money available to those with a genuine entitlement, but it also increases the burden on the council tax payer"......

....Right ok, what about the half MILLION you morons lost from council coffers and couldn't account for!!??

City treasurer Richard Paver also said:

“This case demonstrates our determination to ensure that offenders are dealt with using the full force of the law....."

...it was a slap on the wrist!! Why didn't she the same defense that people like City treasurer Richard Paver use when they lose taxpayers money?....'yeh it's somewhere, but plenty more where that came from' (i.e. cash cow council taxpayer).

Moorlok, London
12/02/2010 at 08:52

julie gibson

Your comments seek to justify why she stole the money from us but you just cannot justify it no matter how hard you may try. Many people have serious money problems but they don't automatically resort to benefit theft. She made a concious choice and now she has to live with the consequences AND she should pay back every penny.

SteveDB,
11/02/2010 at 17:30

Ace, this is a criminal conviction; it doesn't prevent the local authority using civil measures to recover the money.

Black Flag,
10/02/2010 at 13:52

"Brilliant idea but one which I think the bleeding heart liberals would find hard to stomach. "

What does that mean? Is there such thing as a bleding heart liberal? Explain their mindset to me, I think its a phrase youv'e heard that you dont understand. Liberal is forward thinking thats all. It doesn't mean wanting to hug everyone. I take it to mean that if something doesn't work dont be afraid of chnage.

"but why im explaining to all u ppl that have nothing better to do than comment on other ppl life . how very very sad "

Im at work earnign money to support myself and my family. What are you doing? Jeremy Kyles finished, does this mean your out of your pyjamas yet?

Ignoramus, Manchester
10/02/2010 at 13:33

julie gibson oh right i get it? shes struggled with money while the rest of us have plenty? dont talk garbage.We all have money troubles and there are people a lot worse off than her. but thyey dont steal money.(its not fraud its outright stealing) while other people struggle in life while scum like her abuse the system.At the end of the day its outright GREED and to be honest i would have given her hard labour to pay every penny back to the taxpayer.im sick of the message that people who theive money from the community (the people) get away with a suspended sentence,disgusting legal system we have.

Ace Riley, outsidethebox
10/02/2010 at 12:44

none of you know why she did it like everything anybody dose is done for a reason. like i said none of you know her or why she did it so dont be so quick to judge. she as never been in trouble before but why im explaining to all u ppl that have nothing better to do than comment on other ppl life . how very very sad

julie gibson
9/02/2010 at 16:02

for 32k I would be willing to take more than a ticking off. I would let someone punch me right in the family jewels.

John Terrys Tears, in the Dog House
9/02/2010 at 11:14

Helen The Bells Swollen Ankles, M40.......Another commenter who has an exciting life, it is that exciting she has to read this.........boring.

It may be 34 yrs but it will never be 37yrs.,
9/02/2010 at 10:26

Julie gibson- NO, she had not been punished for what she has done and you know it. And, just because she isn't the first person to do it does that mean it's ok? If she comitted murder, is the fact that she wouldn't have been the first person to do it make it ok for her to do it? You talk utter nonsense. Oddlegs - I don't think it's a good thing to say - that you are "glad to hear of yet another benefit cheat" - why the hell would you be glad? Only counted the word "scum" twice up to now.....

blizzard, derbyshire
9/02/2010 at 09:45

Everyday we have similar stories, same outcome and same submitted comments... zzzzZZzzz

Helen The Bells Swollen Ankles, M40
8/02/2010 at 23:13

32 Grand how dare she rob the councils coffers, my council Tameside spent a third of that on a jolly to the Labour party conference a few years ago. Councils are quick of the mark to punish the taxpayer for not paying up on time mainly because they want to protect their golden pensions.

Still we are only a means for their wanton waste, never mind cutting services if the pensions were trimmed then services wouldn’t be effected. MEN do what the DT did and get into these councillors expenses I am sure you could exploit this under the Freedom of Information act, then maybe that 32 grand would pale into insignificance.

It may be 34 yrs but it will never be 37yrs.,
8/02/2010 at 20:39

"The message is clear to these people, we will find out and we will prosecute and they WILL get a severe telling off!”

gladys rowbotham, Manchester
8/02/2010 at 19:54

Its worth committing fraud if all you get is a slap on the wrist when you get caught. When are the Judges going to wake up and listenen to what the law abiding, hard working, tax paying majority want. Lock scum bags up like her for five years and see what she makes of that. When she comes out of prison order her to repay the money back by working every weekend scrubbing chewing gum off payments for the minimum wage. Colin the pie, WIGAN

So, you want to pay even more taxes to send people like this to jail?

Brook Lands
8/02/2010 at 19:20

Colin the pie, WIGAN
8/02/2010 at 19:01

as soon as i sat the deadline to this story i said to myself ` bet she didnt go to jail` i wasnt suprised then to read she walked and got a suspended sentence. Once again it prvoes crime does pay !!

Jetstar, Manchest`oh !
8/02/2010 at 19:00

it doesnt matter if what she has done is rite or wrong but i think it is very very wrong that they ave released her addres shes been punished for what she has done and she wont be the 1st or the last person 2 do it and she must have had her reasons 2 do it. so people really need 2 think bout there own mistakes b4 they judge other people.

julie gibson
8/02/2010 at 17:52

scun bag make her pay it all back .hard labour with ball and chain

nigey, halifax
8/02/2010 at 17:44

Brook Lands

Community service with a nice orange flourescent waistcoat on, perhaps with "Benefit Cheat" on the back would do nicely.

Brilliant idea but one which I think the bleeding heart liberals would find hard to stomach. Stevedore, Quayside

You obviously don't see many of my posts. I am one of those bleeding hearts I'm afraid. I don't take kindly to people stealing from me though.

Brook Lands
8/02/2010 at 17:05

Stevedore, Quayside
8/02/2010 at 16:48

Hello, Iam very glad to hear of yet another Benefit Cheat, But why not publish the number of claiments that the DWP cheat out of their Benefits, like me, Iam an 80 year old severely pensioner and the DWP have been cheating me out of my Pension Credit for the last 6 years also Council Tax Benefit from the Council from HELL Bury Council, regards oddlegs from Bury

oddlegs, bury
8/02/2010 at 16:28

In these cases they always get the money back, it may take a while but it comes back into the public purse eventually.

Sending her to prison would cost us all a lot more, much better to put proper criminals in jail than these numpties. Community service with a nice orange flourescent waistcoat on, perhaps with "Benefit Cheat" on the back would do nicely.

Brook Lands
8/02/2010 at 16:08

Give e the job of getting back the money, ill do it as an administrator (£20000 a year). Its easily done and will make the people of Manchester 400,000, offers please.

J smith
8/02/2010 at 15:11

I'd normally slag her off but if its OK for our Politicians who dont need the money quite as much and should be setting an example how can we punish the people just trying to make ends meet in this increasingly expensive society of ours.

Panzer 391, Salford
8/02/2010 at 15:05

It's a shame she wasn't working at the house of commons, she could have claimed parliamentary immunity. One law for them and another for us. Only 3 MPs charge, and you can bet they'll get away with it, it's a disgrace.