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South Norwood woman sentenced for benefit fraud

4:40pm Friday 25th April 2008

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A 37-year-old South Norwood woman has been ordered to pay £24,000 after being found guilty of benefit fraud.

Tracey Goddard of Regina Road had pleaded not guilty to dishonestly obtaining housing and council tax benefit at a five day trial at Croydon Crown Court.

“This case provides yet another example of the consequences of committing benefit fraud. You may think you will get away with it but the truth of the matter is, we will find you out."

Councillor Gavin Barwell

But a jury found her guilty of dishonestly claiming benefits on the basis of being a single parent between 2002 and 2005 when she was in fact living with her partner Eric Johnson.

Croydon Council was alerted to £11,287.62 fraud by an anonymous tip-off.

Goddard was sentenced on Wednesday to nine months in jail, suspended for 18 months, and was ordered to pay £24,000 in costs.

Councillor Gavin Barwell, cabinet member for resources and customer services, said: "This case provides yet another example of the consequences of committing benefit fraud. You may think you will get away with it but the truth of the matter is, we will find you out.

"Not only will you have to pay back every penny but you could go to prison. It really isn't worth the risk."

Anyone wishing to report a fraud should call the freephone Fraud Line number on 0800 328 9270. Those calling the 24-hour line can do so anonymously.

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Your Say YourWimbledon Guardian

Angel of Retribution, Croydon says...
1:37am Sat 26 Apr 08

Sit up and take notice if you're doing it! You're not stealing from a faceless organisation, you're stealing from your friends and family through increased Council Tax to pay for what you've stolen!!

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J-man, says...
1:40am Sat 26 Apr 08

Yeah, Angel, I hear ya! The more they catch the better for all of us. YOU WILL BE CAUGHT!! AND IT'LL SERVE U RIGHT.

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Awil Egah, Somaliland says...
9:13am Sat 26 Apr 08

I geuss thinks happen but lessons will be learnt through those examples...i suggest if you are involved that u think about it twice.

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Joseph khan, Croydon says...
12:36pm Sat 26 Apr 08

Unusually this does not sound like a foreign name. Maybe our resource's are so depleted that indigenous English are having to resort to fraud to get by now after so much has been given away to non contributers.

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ANNE GILES, SELSDON says...
8:15pm Sun 27 Apr 08

There is no reason whatsoever why the person's name should be foreign. English people commit as much crime as anyone else.

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Bob Peel, Croydon says...
4:18pm Mon 28 Apr 08

Actually Anne, there is.

Certain crimes attract certain ethnic groupings.

So now you know!

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alexandra, Croydon says...
11:30pm Mon 28 Apr 08

Maybe if the benefit system was fairer and more realistic then people wouldnt commit these crimes!

Do you think £18 child benefit a week is enough? Do you think £72 incapacity benefit a week is enough?? Its not. Its evry easy to sit and look down your noses at people who claim benefit, and unfortuntely there is a terrible stigma attached to it... but what are people supposed to do.

I am manic depressive and have a terrible time trying to get myself to work each day. I sit there at my desk crying a feeling useless because my body is too exhausted to move. I have suicidal thoughts daily and have a real hard time lookin in the mirror to get myself ready for work.

I am very much entitled to be off of work claiming benefit for my illness but I cannot afford to. The government says you can live on £33 a week and thats it. What about gas, electric, water, food? I have a choice... go to work and make myself worse or stay at home, feel better yet end up in prison for not paying my bills...

I can see how and why people turn to benefit fraud even with the consequences, because there isnt enough help out there.

Im sure if i commited suicide tomorrow, someone from the NHS would be on GMTV saying theres this help and that help... but there isnt.

Stop pointing fingers and put the shoe on the other foot for once.

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ANNE GILES, SELSDON says...
1:34pm Tue 29 Apr 08

The actor Stephen Fry is a manic depressive and doing very well. If you stick to the psychotropic drugs your doctor will have given you, you would be able to cope.

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ANNE GILES, selsdon says...
1:37pm Tue 29 Apr 08

Bob - I hate to disagree, but there are an awful lot of white English people who commit benefit fraud.

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Bob Peel, Croydon says...
2:37pm Fri 2 May 08

ANNE GILES wrote:
Bob - I hate to disagree, but there are an awful lot of white English people who commit benefit fraud.
I did say "Certain crimes attract certain ethnic groupings ," which is not saying 'certain crimes only attract certain ethnic goupings,' is it?

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Terry Hasselhoff, Bedlam says...
11:23am Sat 3 May 08


The fact is if we were to restrict the benefits system to only those who have contributed for a number of years then there would be a bit more to go round to the people you have contributed.
And Anne Giles to advise Alexandra in a dismissive manner "to keep taking the tablets" was crass and stupid it shows you have no understanding of depression in its manic form and you should apologise.

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PATRICIA DENNIS, south croydon says...
11:01pm Sat 3 May 08

Telling someone who spent years working in a mental hospital that they don't understand depression is also crass and stupid. I don't the lady should apologise at all. It is a fact that many manic depressives don't bother to stick to their very essential medication.

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john hunter, croydon says...
1:31am Thu 13 Nov 08

Good on her, as long as this stupid goverment keep allowing it to be so easy to claim these benefits then people are going to take advantage, maybe the govermnet will realise one day

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