Benefit cheat pleads guilty to £8k fraud

A BENEFIT cheat who fraudulently claimed more than £8000 has pleaded guilty in court after being caught in a council sting.

Susan Grady, 44, of Craigmillar Castle Gardens, failed to declare that she lived with a partner who was in full-time employment. Earlier this week she pleaded guilty at Edinburgh Sheriff Court to fraudulently obtaining housing and council tax benefit. Sentence has been deferred for three months. Following a tip-off, the city council used surveillance to connect her partner with the property.

Councillor Phil Wheeler, convener of the finance and resources committee, said: "The council takes allegations of benefit fraud very seriously.

"While the majority of claimants are honest and keep their claims up to date by reporting all changes in their circumstances, the few who don't need to be held to account. We will use every means at our disposal to identify those claiming fraudulently including using data matching, anonymous allegations and working jointly with our colleagues at the Department for Work and Pensions."