Benefits fraud mother spared jail

Annette Slater was spared jail at Edinburgh Sheriff Court

A mother-of-four who cheated a benefits agency out of almost �23,000 to buy her children gifts has been spared jail.

Annette Slater, 42, claimed income support for three years after getting a job as a debt collector in Midlothian.

She pled guilty at Edinburgh Sheriff Court to gaining income support she was not entitled to by knowingly failing to notify Job Centre Plus.

The sheriff said sending her to prison would only cost the public more. He gave her 200 hours community service.

The court was told that Slater, of Penicuik, who is the carer for her mentally handicapped daughter, had been the subject of a lengthy investigation after it was discovered she began working as a debt repayment collector and selling loans in Penicuik in October 2003.

She failed to notify the Job Centre of her change in circumstances.

Her plan was to keep this going for a few months but she found it too easy Jim Grant Defence agent

Defence agent Jim Grant said Slater, who is divorced, had been trying to compete with her ex-husband to buy their children gifts and holidays.

"Her plan was to keep this going for a few months," said Mr Grant, "but she found it too easy".

Mr Grant told Sheriff Kenneth Maciver that Slater was extremely fearful about her children being taken into care.

He added a repayment scheme was already in operation. A sum of �7.40 a week was being taken from her allowances and, he said, Slater had voluntarily asked that �20 a week be taken.

Sheriff Maciver said he was willing to let Slater carry out 200 hours of unpaid work instead of going to jail because custody would simply cost the taxpayer more. He also placed her on probation for two years "We are dealing with a very, very substantial fraud from the common purse," the sheriff said.

"It is important that the courts deal with this type of offending effectively."

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