Benefits boss stole £60,000

A COUNCIL boss was sacked after fiddling more than £60,000 worth of benefits from the department she was running.

Sally Birnie, 43, made benefit claims under fake names before passing the cash through a woman's hostel and into fake bank accounts.

At Edinburgh Sheriff Court, yesterday she admitted one charge of embezzlement.

She took 67,780.31 between 1 September, 2003, and 3 November, 2008, while employed as section leader of the revenue and benefits division of City of Edinburgh Council.

Sheriff Mackie deferred sentence on Birnie, from Balerno, until 2 February.