Thornaby mum jailed after falsely claiming more than £68,000 in benefits

A mum has been jailed after falsely claiming more than £68,000 in benefits.

Angelina Brown, 38, of Vulcan Way, Thornaby, was jailed for 15 months after a jury found her guilty of three charges relating to benefit fraud at a trial at Teesside Crown Court.

A jury found that she had deliberately failed to notify the Department of Work and Pensions that she was living with her partner - a change in circumstances that meant she was no longer entitled to the benefits she was claiming.

She was found guilty on one count of failing to notify a change of circumstances and two counts of making dishonest representations for obtaining benefits.

In total, Brown had fraudulently obtained £68,213 in benefit payments between February 2003 and October 2010, the court heard.

Defending Brown at a sentencing hearing at Teesside Crown Court yesterday, Adrian Dent said a prison sentence would make it difficult for the single mother to find care for her children.

“She knows that this must be visited by a custodial sentence,” said Mr Dent, before requesting that the judge consider a suspended sentence.

“That would allow the children to have a stable upbringing,” he said.

Mr Dent added: “One of her three sons is 13 and has hearing impairment.

“Looking after a brood like this is extremely difficult.

“In addition, she is of course subject to deductions to her benefits.”

But Judge Howard Crowson was unmoved by the mitigation noting that, by Mr Dent’s standards, “any mother with children and on benefits couldn’t go to prison.”

The judge added: “I might be more sympathetic if she hadn’t managed before to drop everything at short notice and go on holiday to Tunisia.

“The amount was £68,213 over a period of seven years.

“It’s going to take a long time to settle that. There is little or no possibility it will ever be recovered.

“I’m going to pass the right sentence for what she did.”

Asking Brown to stand, Judge Crowson told her that he had taken into account the mitigating factors surrounding her personal life and that a reduced sentence would be passed.

But the judge rejected Mr Dent’s request to suspended the sentence explaining that to do so would send out the message that single mothers could cheat the benefits system with no fear of going to prison.

He sentenced Brown to 15 months in prison.