A Devizes woman has been ordered to complete 40 hours of unpaid work and pay back more than £6,000 in overpaid benefits after pleading guilty to benefit fraud.
Pauline Smith, 42, of Kingsley Gardens, Devizes, admitted failing to declare she was living with her partner while still receiving benefits when she appeared at Chippenham Magistrates’ Court on July 4.
The court heard she was still claiming Jobseekers Allowance from the Department of Work and Pensions, which resulted in an overpayment of £1,704 and housing and council tax benefits totalling £4,654.11.
She was sentenced to a 12-month community order and ordered to complete 40 hours of unpaid work, pay £12 victim surcharge as well as having to repay all the £6,358.11 overpaid benefits.
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