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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Mother jailed for benefit fraud | Mother jailed for benefit fraud |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A Midlothian mother who received £22,000 by pretending her entire family was severely disabled has been sent back to jail. | A Midlothian mother who received £22,000 by pretending her entire family was severely disabled has been sent back to jail. |
| Anne Marie Cockburn's cheating began just two months after being released early from a 10 month sentence for a similar fraud involving £18,000. | Anne Marie Cockburn's cheating began just two months after being released early from a 10 month sentence for a similar fraud involving £18,000. |
| The 28-year-old pled guilty in June to fraudulently obtaining £22,373 between 12 December 2006, and 20 November 2007. | The 28-year-old pled guilty in June to fraudulently obtaining £22,373 between 12 December 2006, and 20 November 2007. |
| At Edinburgh Sheriff Court, Cockburn, from Rosewell, was returned to prison. | At Edinburgh Sheriff Court, Cockburn, from Rosewell, was returned to prison. |
| She also falsely claimed childcare costs, falsely claimed to be in employment and attempted to hijack another claimant's award. | |
| The mother-of-three must spend the 110 days of the unexpired portion of the previous sentence in jail and has had 20 months added. | The mother-of-three must spend the 110 days of the unexpired portion of the previous sentence in jail and has had 20 months added. |
| Cockburn cared only of lining her own pockets, and didn't give a second thought for the person whose identity she attempted to steal Anne-Marie Gordon | |
| Fiscal Depute, Melanie Ward, told the court the offences came to light after a friend of Cockburn was advised that details, relating to a nursery and work for a cleaning company, had been changed on one of her bank accounts. | Fiscal Depute, Melanie Ward, told the court the offences came to light after a friend of Cockburn was advised that details, relating to a nursery and work for a cleaning company, had been changed on one of her bank accounts. |
| The Criminal Investigations Unit of HM Revenue and Customs were alerted and they found that the claims being made were false. | The Criminal Investigations Unit of HM Revenue and Customs were alerted and they found that the claims being made were false. |
| Cockburn was interviewed and admitted what she had been doing. She also told the investigators she had telephoned the Tax Credit Helpline, pretending to be her partner, William McLeod, to get extra child care credits. | Cockburn was interviewed and admitted what she had been doing. She also told the investigators she had telephoned the Tax Credit Helpline, pretending to be her partner, William McLeod, to get extra child care credits. |
| Defending solicitor advocate, David Allan, told Sheriff Derrick McIntyre that the principal reason for the commission of this offence mirrored the reason for the commission of the previous conviction and that was an underlying drug addiction, in particular methodone and dihydrocodeine. | Defending solicitor advocate, David Allan, told Sheriff Derrick McIntyre that the principal reason for the commission of this offence mirrored the reason for the commission of the previous conviction and that was an underlying drug addiction, in particular methodone and dihydrocodeine. |
| Daily prescription | |
| Cockburn, he said, had become addicted to the drugs after being prescribed them following a road traffic accident. | Cockburn, he said, had become addicted to the drugs after being prescribed them following a road traffic accident. |
| She had committed the offences to fund her habit. He added that his client had made positive changes to her lifestyle. | She had committed the offences to fund her habit. He added that his client had made positive changes to her lifestyle. |
| She was now stable on a supervised daily prescription of methodone and had committed no offences since November last year. | She was now stable on a supervised daily prescription of methodone and had committed no offences since November last year. |
| Sheriff McIntyre told Cockburn that with the sum involved; the 11 months over which the fraud had been committed; and the fact that she had just been released from prison, a custodial sentence was inevitable. | Sheriff McIntyre told Cockburn that with the sum involved; the 11 months over which the fraud had been committed; and the fact that she had just been released from prison, a custodial sentence was inevitable. |
| After the hearing, Anne-Marie Gordon, HM Revenue and Customs assistant director of investigation in Scotland, said: "Cockburn cared only of lining her own pockets, and didn't give a second thought for the person whose identity she attempted to steal. | |
| "Fraudulent tax credit claims are not victimless crimes. | |
| "The sentence imposed today reinforces our message that those who believe that they can beat the system, and gain an advantage over everyone else should think again." |