7 - Five people convicted of benefit fraud

Archived news release from 2007

 

Susan Holland, aged 59, of Berrington Drive, Coseley, was handed a six-month prison sentence by Wolverhampton crown court for falsely claiming £25,000 in housing, council tax and incapacity benefit between October 2000 and October 2006.

She had been using false details for her employment with the Department for Work and Pensions.

 

Her son William Robert Harris falsely obtained employment with Dudley Council and received £34,500 in wages while falsely claiming £4,500 in incapacity, housing and council tax benefits.

Mr Harris, aged 36 formerly of Berrington Drive, Coseley, who admitted offences of benefit fraud and theft, was ordered by Wolverhampton crown court to carry out 200 hours of community services and pay £250 costs.

 

Mrs Holland’s husband Colin Holland, aged 60, from Holden Road, Wednesbury, was given a two-year conditional discharge at Wolverhampton crown court after admitting four counts of housing benefit fraud, totalling £3,000 between October 2004 and May 2005. He was also ordered to pay £175 costs.

 

Florence Rabah-Otmani admitted helping her friend William Harris with a false reference to get a job at Dudley Council. Mrs Rabah-Otmani, aged 42 of Ash Road, Dudley, was ordered to carry out 60 hours of community service and pay £250 costs by Dudley magistrates court.

 

Gillian Rose Price, aged 57, of Corporation Street, Wednesbury, a friend of the Hollands, admitted to seven counts of housing benefit fraud at Dudley magistrates court, amounting to £1,000. She was ordered to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work and pay £100 costs.

 

William Harris has since been dismissed from Dudley Council while Susan Holland and Florence Rabah-Otmani have all been dismissed from their jobs at the Department for Work and Pensions.

 

 

“This has been a joint investigation between Dudley and Sandwell councils and the Department for Works and Pensions and the police.

 

“We hope this will send a clear message to anyone involved or considering defrauding the benefits system, that they will be caught and dealt with severely.

 

“We will also be working to recoup all the money which these people obtained through fraud.”

 

 

“As a council, we will not tolerate fraud and corruption and we will work with our colleagues in other local authorities and with the Department of Work and Pensions to ensure that those responsible are identified and made accountable.”