Benefit fraudster tagged

11:55am Monday 14th July 2008

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A benefit cheat who claimed more than £4,000 in council handouts has become the first person in Oxfordshire to be electronically tagged for the offence.

Melanie Richardson, 35, of White Leys Close, formally Venners Water, Didcot, pleaded guilty to five counts of benefit fraud at Didcot Magistrates' Court.

She was ordered to undertake 40 hours of unpaid community work and wear a tag for four months.

This means she can't leave her house between 7pm and 7am, Thursday to Sunday.

She must also pay back the full £4,262.97, which she claimed but was not entitled to it.

Magistrates heard that Ms Richardson failed to declare she had started work and continued to receive housing benefit, council tax benefit and income support.

South Oxfordshire district councillor Rodney Mann, cabinet member for finance, said: "This woman was perfectly able to support herself and has now got a criminal record for her deceit.

"It is also the first incidence of tagging for benefit fraud in Oxfordshire and will mean Richardson is restricted on the times she can leave her home.

"With the continuing good work of our investigators we are confident of weeding out more and more fraudsters to do our bit for the public purse."