Leeds benefits cheat illegally claimed £28,000 during nine-year deception

Zena Hirst made false claims for housing and council tax benefits by claiming she was unemployed and living on her own.

Throughout the period of offending Hirst's son was living with her and was in full time employment.

The 64-year-old's offending came to light when a routine check was carried out and revealed that someone else was registered as living with her.

Leeds Crown Court heard Hirst began the offending in January 2009 when she filled out forms for housing and council tax benefits on the basis she was living on her own and was receiving job seeker's allowance.

Laura Addy, prosecuting, said: "For the majority of the time her son was in full time employment while he was living with her.

"It is said that the claim was fraudulent from the outset."

Hirst kept up the deception on an annual basis when she received letters reminding her that she must inform authorities if there was a change in her circumstances.

She continued to claim that she was living alone.

The defendant also maintained the lie when she was required to fill out forms when the Bedroom Tax was introduced in 2012.

Hirst came under suspicion in 2018 when a routine check was carried out and an e-mail was sent to her asking if her son was living with her.

Miss Addy said: "She immediately declared that her son was a resident and had been since 2009 and offered to repay the money at a modest rate."

Hirst was interviewed and said her son had been living between her home and his then girlfriend's home at the time she made the claim but he had been living with her on a permanent basis since 2011.

The total amount illegally claimed over the period was just over £28,000.

Hirst, of Farndale Terrace, Swarcliffe, pleaded guilty to two offences of benefit fraud.

She has a previous conviction for benefit fraud in 2004 when she received a conditional discharge.

Phillip Morris, mitigating, said Hirst made the benefit claims after she was made redundant from her job in a warehouse in December 2008.

He said Hirst's son was alternating between his mother's address and his partner's address at the time she made the claim.

Mr Morris said Hirst had used "an excessively liberal interpretation of the word 'live'."

The court heard the defendant now worked as a cleaner and had repaid just over £1,000 of the money.

Hirst was given a 14-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, and was ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work.

Judge Simon Batiste said: "That was a deliberate decision and a dishonest claim from the outset.

"You were happy to deceive the authorities to enable you to get extra benefits.

"It is aggravated by the length of time the claim was made and the many false declarations.

"I accept that this was not money obtained for high living.

"You are making some limited efforts to pay the money back.

"With some hesitation I am prepared to suspend the inevitable prison sentence that I must impose on you."