Mother claimed £10,000 in fraud

Thursday 17th December 2009, 8:20AM GMT.

An Oswestry mother-of-three has admitted cheating taxpayers out of more than £10,000 by claiming benefits while she was working.

Karen Jones, 45, of Station Road, Weston Rhyn, admitted two charges of failing to notify the Department of Work and Pensions of a change in her circumstances which would affect her benefits when she appeared before Oswestry magistrates yesterday.

The offences happened between December 12, 2005 and November 23, 2007 and between January 1, 2008 and September 29, 2008.

Magistrates adjourned the case until next Tuesday to allow a pre-sentence report to be prepared and Jones was granted bail.

Mr Alun Williams, prosecuting on behalf of the Department of Work and Pensions, said at the time of the offences Jones was a single mother with two dependent children.

The total loss to public funds was £10,356, Mr Williams said. He added that the authorities were seeking compensation.

Miss Jane Miles, for Jones, told the court her client had endured family difficulties.

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