A woman from the UK, who has been in jail for a year now, is facing time for inventing six children so she could claim extra state benefits on her taxes.
Angela Callaghan, 42, admits to the offences and fraudulently claiming about £45,000 ($60,952.24), at an earlier hearing. The court also heard Callaghan had a side business advising other women on how to claim extra tax credits.
Angela Callaghan (top left), Nicola Brown (top right), Maria McDermott (bottom left) and Lisa Keightley admitted benefit fraud.
‘Public duty’
According to the BBC, Callaghan received £700 ($948.125) from three other women for helping them make bogus claims, the court was told.
Three other women – Nicola Brown, 34, Maria McDermott, 31, and Lisa Keightley, 28, also admitted falsely claiming tax credits and were given two-year suspended sentences at the same court last week.
The court heard Callaghan was a victim of domestic violence but Judge David Aubrey QC said he would be failing in his public duty not to impose a custodial sentence.
Sandra Smith, assistant director of criminal investigation at HMRC, said: “Callaghan lied on numerous occasions to receive benefits she wasn’t entitled to, pocketing money needed to fund public services.
“She then went on to help others make fraudulent claims. All these women now have criminal records and have to repay the stolen money.”
It’s crazy to think these women are spending time for someone that’s not even real.
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Source: BBC
