Llanfynydd nurse's benefit fraud
A Llanfynydd nurse has been given a suspended prison sentence for wrongly claiming about £18,000 in benefits.
Sharon Rose Bell appeared at Swansea Crown Court last week for sentencing having previously pleaded guilty to 11 offences under S.111 Social Security Administration Act 1992 – two of dishonestly making false statements, eight of dishonestly producing false documents and one of dishonestly failing to declare a change in circumstances.
The court heard that in March 2006, 41-year-old Bell applied for housing benefit and council tax benefit at 5, Heol Newydd, Llanfynydd as a single person, declaring that she was working part-time at Meddygfa Teilo Surgery, Llandeilo.
In April 2006 Bell stated that she had enrolled on a full time nursing degree course via Swansea University. As a result, she was advised by Carmarthenshire County Council’s Housing Benefit Section that she did not qualify for Housing Benefit.
Bell then reapplied for housing benefit, declaring that she had given up the nursing course as she could not afford to live on a bursary. She also declared that she had commenced a part-time job at Meddygfa Teilo Surgery and supplied a letter from the surgery to confirm that she had been offered employment. She submitted payslips to evidence of her employment.
In March 2007, she moved to 3, Heol Newydd, Llanfynydd declaring that she was renting that address for £500 a month.
In February 2011, the NFI (National Fraud Initiative) data-matching exercise, identified that Bell had been an employee of Hywel Dda Trust since June 2009. She was a nurse at Glangwili Hospital, and the net earnings were averaging more than four times what she was actually declaring.
Investigations showed that Bell had left Meddygfa Teilo in June 2009 and had forged documentation. Land Registry records confirmed that she was joint owner of 3 Heol Newydd from the date she claimed to be a tenant.
Bell was interviewed under caution at Carmarthen Customer Service Centre and admitted submitting false payslips and making false statement. She admitted that she had submitted false documents after June 2009.
Bell also admitted that she had failed to declare her employment with Hywel Dda. She also confirmed that she purchased 3 Heol Newydd in March 2007 with her sister and her sister’s husband and that she had not given up her nursing course at all. She qualified as a nurse in 2009. Bell stated that she had now moved to live at Rhos Hall, Llanfynydd.
As a result of the investigation, overpayments of £17,332.55 rent allowance for 6th March 2006 to 13th February 2011 and £1,381.46 Council Tax Benefit were recorded for the period May 18, 2009, to March 31, 2011. The Council Tax Benefit overpayment would have been higher, but for the three year period that she was a student, Bell was awarded an exemption on her Council Tax.
All of these overpayments are recoverable.
Bell was sentenced to eight months imprisonment suspended for 12 months with a requirement that she completes 12 months supervision and 200 hours unpaid work in the community. The Judge also ordered that she pay prosecution costs of £743.60.
Sharon Rose Bell appeared at Swansea Crown Court last week for sentencing having previously pleaded guilty to 11 offences under S.111 Social Security Administration Act 1992 – two of dishonestly making false statements, eight of dishonestly producing false documents and one of dishonestly failing to declare a change in circumstances.
The court heard that in March 2006, 41-year-old Bell applied for housing benefit and council tax benefit at 5, Heol Newydd, Llanfynydd as a single person, declaring that she was working part-time at Meddygfa Teilo Surgery, Llandeilo.
In April 2006 Bell stated that she had enrolled on a full time nursing degree course via Swansea University. As a result, she was advised by Carmarthenshire County Council’s Housing Benefit Section that she did not qualify for Housing Benefit.
Bell then reapplied for housing benefit, declaring that she had given up the nursing course as she could not afford to live on a bursary. She also declared that she had commenced a part-time job at Meddygfa Teilo Surgery and supplied a letter from the surgery to confirm that she had been offered employment. She submitted payslips to evidence of her employment.
In March 2007, she moved to 3, Heol Newydd, Llanfynydd declaring that she was renting that address for £500 a month.
In February 2011, the NFI (National Fraud Initiative) data-matching exercise, identified that Bell had been an employee of Hywel Dda Trust since June 2009. She was a nurse at Glangwili Hospital, and the net earnings were averaging more than four times what she was actually declaring.
Investigations showed that Bell had left Meddygfa Teilo in June 2009 and had forged documentation. Land Registry records confirmed that she was joint owner of 3 Heol Newydd from the date she claimed to be a tenant.
Bell was interviewed under caution at Carmarthen Customer Service Centre and admitted submitting false payslips and making false statement. She admitted that she had submitted false documents after June 2009.
Bell also admitted that she had failed to declare her employment with Hywel Dda. She also confirmed that she purchased 3 Heol Newydd in March 2007 with her sister and her sister’s husband and that she had not given up her nursing course at all. She qualified as a nurse in 2009. Bell stated that she had now moved to live at Rhos Hall, Llanfynydd.
As a result of the investigation, overpayments of £17,332.55 rent allowance for 6th March 2006 to 13th February 2011 and £1,381.46 Council Tax Benefit were recorded for the period May 18, 2009, to March 31, 2011. The Council Tax Benefit overpayment would have been higher, but for the three year period that she was a student, Bell was awarded an exemption on her Council Tax.
All of these overpayments are recoverable.
Bell was sentenced to eight months imprisonment suspended for 12 months with a requirement that she completes 12 months supervision and 200 hours unpaid work in the community. The Judge also ordered that she pay prosecution costs of £743.60.
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