Bristol husband and wife admit £24k benefit swindle
A husband and wife who swindled nearly £24,000 in benefits have been given suspended jail terms at Bristol Crown Court.
Tracey Eddolls told Bristol City Council her husband Anthony had left their Withywood council house.
But in reality he was a frequent visitor who supported her and their three children, the court was told.
Tracey Eddolls, 36, of Sherrin Way, pleaded guilty to falsely claiming £23,987 between December 2000 and July 2007.
Anthony Eddolls, 40, now of St John's Court, Keynsham, pleaded guilty to dishonestly allowing the claims.
Judge Michael Longman told them: "Offences such as yours is cheating. It cheats the finances of taxpayers and it cheats the finances of welfare claimants."
The judge sentenced the pair to 40 weeks' prison, suspended for two years. He ordered Anthony Eddolls to carry out 240 hours of unpaid work and Tracey Eddolls 150 hours of unpaid work, both to be completed in a year.
Alan Fuller, prosecuting, told the court that from December 2000 Mrs Eddolls declared she was a single parent, working part-time for Tesco and made no reference to her husband being at home.
Mr Fuller said: "In November 2005, Tracey Eddolls was visited by a benefits officer and she maintained it was just her and her children there.
"In June 2007, the benefit fraud team began an investigation into whether Mr Eddolls was living at Sherrin Way. They gathered significant evidence that he was living there for some time and had been contributing to household expenses throughout."
When the council interviewed Mrs Eddolls in June 2007 she said she saw her husband every day but they weren't living together, Mr Fuller said. She said she and her husband had been separated for 15 years but hadn't divorced and she thought they could solve their problems.
Mr Fuller said: "She denied he spent a single night there in 15 years. She accepted that Sky and BT bills were in his name, his car was registered at her address, most of his post went there and he took her shopping."
Mrs Eddolls also conceded she'd been on holiday with her husband but they'd had separate rooms.
The court heard that, subsequently, she contacted the council and said she'd been confused in interview, admitting her husband had slept the odd night at her home and had helped with childcare.
Investigations revealed Mr Eddolls' personal finances were linked to Sherrin Way, said Mr Fuller, but Mr Eddolls declined to comment when interviewed.
Though some £4,500 in falsely claimed council tax had been paid back, just £1,200 had been paid towards £19,500 of falsely claimed housing benefit. Arrangements are in place to repay the sum.
Virginia Cornwall, defending Mrs Eddolls, said her client wasn't "full and frank" with the council because she'd been scared.
Miss Cornwall said the couple had experienced instability in their marriage and Mr Eddolls would come and go as he pleased.
She stressed money claimed was put towards living expenses but there was no high life and only the odd family holiday.
She said: "Mrs Eddolls is deeply ashamed and deeply regrets it."
Jo Atherton, defending Mr Eddolls, told the court the couple had split up, Mrs Eddolls made a legitimate claim and then they decided to try again. She said: "When he returned, the money took pressure off the relationship."
Miss Atherton added her client would like to resume family life with his wife at their Bristol home and the proceedings had had a salutary effect on him.
15 Comments
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by brava1
Tuesday, June 28 2011, 7:07PM
“So they stole money from tax payers and are allowed on the street. If someone is caught working, I mean working and paying taxes using fake papers, then they will be behind bars. Where is the justice??
Somebody faked a reference and got a job, did it well, with the right papers. when the false reference was found, she was jailed for 2 years, a proceed of crime activited against her house as 'she coudl not have got the job, had they known her reference was false'. They want the salary back!!!. The judge allows this to happen. Now she is on benefit and ironically living a better lfe than she was when she was working. Large council council, free school meals, free uniforms, no council tax and a no hassle life. One wonders why she had to try to lie by falsifying a reference to get a job.
If the judge had use common sense and told her off, might be she would not have realised that with children tax credit, ESA etc, she will be better off staying at home.
What a way to take a hard workign single mother with children off work and on the 'dore'.”
by Tina, St Pauls
Sunday, January 11 2009, 7:41AM
“Good Lord ... you would of thought that with all the extra cash, they could of bought some books for their children to learn how to "speak" and write, take their mobiles away for pities sake and give them a pen and paper.
"Money took pressure off the relationship" .. well there's a surprise. Seperated for 15yrs should be an indicator that things are not going to work, if you can't get through life's turmoils together without stealing from people, you are beating a dead donkey.
Sorry the Law got in the way of repairing your marriage !.”
by David, bristol
Saturday, January 10 2009, 3:23PM
“The daughter says - they had to do 2 get buy in lyf - why - I WORK to get by in life- he appears to have been working - hence supporting his family - she had a job - so why did they have to go out and steal money from the tax payer on a daily basis.....?
Sadie - where does it say they admitted it over a year ago - it says she was interviewed in June 2007 and lied (again) so how is this admitting it. I have no sympathy for these sort of people. It would be interesting to know how much they are paying back to the council -they should be made to get a loan and pay it back in one go. No doubt they will be stealing money from tax credits or someone else soon enough.”
by Tess, Downend
Saturday, January 10 2009, 12:33PM
“I wish people would stop seeing this type of crime as acceptable. It is theft from those who work and pay NI and Tax. Not only do they steal from the system, they cost us over and over from the investigation and Crown Court costs. People should start reporting these people who feel they can just take from our society and stop worrying about being a grass. Name and SHAME.”
by jean, Somerset
Saturday, January 10 2009, 12:59AM
“So they avoid prison! What message does this send out to all the other cheats as yet undiscovered? There are thousands of us who struggle with hard work, long hours etc., in order to put food on the table and pay bills with the pittance left after tax and national insurance is deducted. To know that this same tax is "stolen" by these cheats is sickening and I have no sympathy. No, these two are NOT good parents whatever their daughter says. Good parents set a good example to their kids. These parents didn't. Time will tell whether history is repeated.”
by Adrian, Bristol
Friday, January 09 2009, 11:23PM
“Connie
1st of all I wouldnt call anyone scum and yes your right we only see what the paper prints.
But you have to admit it looks bad. I have a hard time working paying bills keeping a house and 2 kids but i have never taken money I'm not entiteled to.
I know my spellings not that good but I'm sure you could spend a little time to compose your comments using correct or near correct spelling and english than you have. I do hope if nothing else your family realise why people throw comments like they have .. My comments just said all benifits should be stopped till the bill paid and it wouldnt do them much good with people that know them from the shop etc embarrassment is a punishment that can be harsh.
As for sending them to goal (jail) that would be even more cost to the Tax payer so wouldnt acheve much.
I under stand your bitter about what people say but what was done was wrong”
by c.e, bristol
Friday, January 09 2009, 8:59PM
“Were not scum ok i no my parents did what they had to do 2 get buy in lyf u dont understand and as for sayin they deserved more ur just sumbody who ovz hasent thought about what thier sayin i no it was bad and yea they have to pay every single bit of it bk soo it not like they had it for free ur pathetic really u only sayin all of this as uv only read the basics u dont no the full story as to what has happened to this family u cant tell me that u havent done sumthink in life that u have not regret doin!! in any ways the judge gave them what he thought was BEST! im glad im thier daughter and im proud of them for stickin buy us and givin us the best childhood eny one cud ask for cant say much more as dont really wanna be judged and also dont want sympathy as none of you are worth arguing with x”
by danny, everywhere
Friday, January 09 2009, 8:53PM
“i no these people personly so they have done wrong they are an exellent mum and dad they have been through enough so dont need to be slated by idiots who dont no them they have been punished so they didnt go to prison big deal they have had there family torn apart is that not enough for anyone and also they are paying all the money back so no one has paid them a penny its just a shame that the people who report these things can stay in hiding and not reveal them selves or go to court to give any type of evedence beacuse the wrong people get accused and there lives made hell as you cannot prove your innoccence to anyone think about that critics everyone in this family is effected by this anyway mr and mrs eddolls best of luck to you both for the future hope 2009 is a better year sea ya???”
by sadie, bristol
Friday, January 09 2009, 7:40PM
“i know these people and what they paper failed to report is the pain and suffering these people went through while waiting sentance it was far worse than any prison sentance ,what annoys me more is the waste of tax payers money,they spent thoasands taking these people to court having to pay court cost etc when the offence was addmitted 1 year ago surley would been better and cheaper to then deal out of court but no the council wanted to go all the way and waste our tax money,for what to deter other people doing the same but as mentioned in the paper they escaped prison so what message is this sending ,”
by portia, bristol
Friday, January 09 2009, 7:16PM
“i have read your comments and Connie is the one what makes sense.
i have read the story regarding the case and they have not gained any capital from what they done Wat i can see is they had to do what they did for their family to meet ends meet can anyone who has had no money and there kids needed something you tell me you wouldn't have done the same because you know what i would have if it means my kids get the best i would do anything for them as these parents did they haven't lived the high life
they know they have done wrong and are ashamed that they did but how many people do u know that are doing it i.e family members people you know.
this family has paid the price for what they have done and they do not deserve to be called scum do u know them no and i don't either but they are not scum they are fantastic parents in my eyes and done what they had to for there kids.
give this family a break”