Woman used dead baby's details when trying to buy Oswestry house

A woman has appeared in court charged with using a dead baby's identity to apply for a mortgage on a house in Oswestry.

Georgina Sharon Murphy, 53, of Pen y Waun, Chirk, is alleged to have applied for a passport in the name of the dead baby, who was born in 1957. She also faced a charge of fraud while in a position of trust over a deceased woman's estate and other charges involving benefit frauds.

Murphy, who appeared before Wrexham Magistrates Court yesterday, was charged with making a false representation between April and May 2007 to obtain a British passport in the name of Gail Jones, who died shortly after she was born in 1957.

It is also alleged that between May and June 2007, Murphy applied for a £169,500 mortgage in respect of Lakeholme Gardens in Oswestry, using the identity of Gail Jones.

It was also alleged in court that between February 2008 and August 2010, while occupying a position of trust as a trustee, when she was expected to act in the best interests of four named people, that Murphy abused that position intending to make a gain for herself - namely the whole estate of Sheila Mary Hand, deceased.

It is further alleged that between August 2008 and September 2008 Murphy applied for a credit card in the name of Sheila Hand, deceased, and spent a total of £1,585.

In addition, the defendant faces six benefit fraud allegations.

They include that in February 2008 Murphy had failed to declare that she had capital of £16,000 from the estate of Miss Sheila Hand which would have affected her entitlement to receive housing and council tax benefit.

She also faces five counts of furnishing false representation in a bid to obtain benefits.

Murphy was bailed to appear at the magistrates court on May 23 when committal proceedings to the crown court are expected to take place.

By Deborah Knox