A woman who cheated the UK benefits system has said she was 'unlucky' to get caught - having claimed over £14,000 ($19,000) after failing to tell authorities that she was 'maintaining a common household' with her partner.
Katie Moran claimed Universal Credit from the Department for Work and Pensioners (DWP), doing so on the grounds that she was a single mum-of-two with no income or savings.
But the 27-year-old pleaded guilty at Burnley Magistrates Court to dishonestly making a false statement or representation to the DWP to obtain Universal Credit, and was given a 12-month community order, along with a 10-day rehabilitation activity requirement and a four-week curfew.
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She was also ordered to pay £50 in costs and an £85 victim surcharge.
Moran had been overpaid £14,466.83 in benefits between 22 February 2016 and 1 May 2017.
According to the Sun, in a post on Facebook she has said that she was 'just unlucky' to get caught.
She reportedly wrote: "I was just unlucky and got caught. Two good wages coming into this house now and we are still living on the breadline!"
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Moran also said that she only had herself to blame, adding: "I am absolutely distraught but it's nobody's fault but my own!"
Prosecutor Andrew Robinson told the court that the DWP had evidence from 'various sources' that Moran was maintaining what's referred to as a 'common household'. He also said that her claim was 'fraudulent from the outset'.
Robinson said: "The DWP will take their own steps to recover the money that was overspent."
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Defence solicitor Ben Leech explained that health care assistant Moran would frequently separate from partner Robert Carter, only to reconcile - at the time making the benefits claim with the supposed belief that they would not get back together.
Leech said: "Mr Carter, despite the problems, continued to provide some financial support.
"Quite properly the DWP see it as a continuing financial relationship which Miss Moran, when spoken to, had to concede.
"There was money going into her bank from Mr Carter over periods when they weren't together and periods when they were living together.
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"Miss Moran did contact them on a number of occasions to indicate there were periods when they were getting back together and periods when it was anticipated they would get back together and to some degree kept them updated, but accepts the full picture wasn't provided.
"I don't think this was a lady who had gone into this with any dishonest intent."
Leech added that Moran has 'learned the error of her ways', also saying that she is 'very much ashamed and regrets her behaviour'.
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He continued: "Quite properly the DWP see it as a continuing financial relationship which Miss Moran, when spoken to, had to concede.
"There was money going into her bank from Mr Carter over periods when they weren't together and periods when they were living together.
"Miss Moran did contact them on a number of occasions to indicate there were periods when they were getting back together and periods when it was anticipated they would get back together and to some degree kept them updated, but accepts the full picture wasn't provided.
"I don't think this was a lady who had gone into this with any dishonest intent."
Featured Image Credit: Trinity MirrorTopics: UK News, News, Benefits