Bristol benefits cheat mum snared after Facebook 'friend' tip-off
A YOUNG mum ended up in court for benefit fraud after investigators used Facebook to build a case against her.
Bristol City Council officers started to investigate mum-of- three Tara Denley, 22, after an anonymous tip-off from one of her online 'friends'.
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Facebooked - Tara Denley
Accessing her profile page on the social networking site, they discovered she claimed nearly £6,000 of benefits she was not entitled to.
On Wednesday, Facebook announced it was to simplify privacy settings because members had said they were unsure about how public their information had become.
At Bristol Magistrates' Court on the same day, Denley pleaded guilty to failing to notify the city council about a change of circumstances in that her partner David Sugrue was living with her at council property in Wharncliffe Close, Hengrove.
She also pleaded guilty to failing to inform the Department of Work and Pensions of the same offence.
Denley was given a six-month community order with supervision. She was also ordered to pay Bristol City Council £500 compensation and costs of £500.
But speaking after the case she told the Evening Post: "I understand that they have to carry out investigations but I feel violated by the way they have accessed Facebook.
"They had pictures of my kids on their file but my Facebook
account is set up so only my friends can see them. I don't want those pictures to be seen by anybody because there are paedophiles out there.
"The solicitor at court said it was the first time she had seen Facebook used to gather information and said I could ring up housing if I wanted to make a complaint which I will do.
"I only pleaded guilty because they used everything on the site and turned it against me. I just wanted to get it over and back to looking after my three children."
During the case Jane Astbury, prosecuting, an investigation started after an anonymous tip-off on the council's 'hot-line' in January, 2009.
She said it was discovered that between July 3, 2008 and March 31, 2009, Denley had been overpaid £3,088.92 in housing benefit, £2,350.85 in income support and £507.99 in council tax credits.
Miss Astbury said that investigators accessed her Facebook account to help build a case.
She said: "A search was made on social networking site Facebook that established the defendant had given birth and that the child had her partner's surname. The site also indicated that she was engaged to David Sugrue.
"The birth certificate was obtained and the defendant's partner's name was listed as the father.
"Several posts on Facebook indicated the couple were together and in a relationship."
When officers interviewed her Denley admitted she had been engaged to Sugrue since December 2008 but said that he spent just two nights a week at her property.
She said he did see the children every day but claimed that he didn't keep any clothes at the house and assumed that he stayed in his car on other nights.
Denley said they had made joint credit applications because it was the only way she could get a car.
Sentencing Denley, now of Torrington Avenue, Knowle, chair of magistrates Ian Brailey told her: "The council loses out again and the rest of us, that is the taxpayer, have to make up the rest."
38 Comments
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by hannah©, bristol
Monday, May 31 2010, 1:33PM
“@citizen smith-No worries.i think they should put someone in charge of the treasury who has lived on the minimal income ie Jobseekers, because when you have to live on that amount you know all about economising, and could possibly teach a lesson or two!! Just a thought.”
by Citizen Smith, Cloud Cuckoo Land
Monday, May 31 2010, 10:55AM
“@ Hannah I wasn't trying to attack gays, and score cheap points.
David Laws the Lib Dem MP for Yeovil, was caught out, only last week for claiming £40k rent, and did not declare his gay lover resided at the property. This meant his lover enjoyed free accommodation for 4 years, at the expense of the tax-payer
May I also add that, Mr Laws worked at the treasury department and had drawn up plans to tackle the benefit budget.
Expensive toasters, £2k Duck Moat Houses, Adult Movies, the list goes on.”
by Bill, Bristol
Monday, May 31 2010, 10:27AM
“Another thief brought to justice. Shame she is only paying £1000 back... Oh that's right we the taxpayer are paying it back...”
by Nelly, Bristol
Monday, May 31 2010, 9:36AM
“Citizen Smith, Cloud Cuckoo Land, I totally agree with your comments.Also, M.P's are not living on the Breadline, Trying to work out whether to go shopping or pay a bill. Their expense fiddles are for luxuries, which in my eyes make them even worse!”
by hannah©, bristol
Monday, May 31 2010, 12:28AM
“@Citizen smith-interesting reading, Also what happens if a {(working) or un working for that matter} woman meets a woman with a brood and happens to co-habit with said woman?Hmmm,also why did you feel the need to mention 'Gay' lovers in your post regarding the MP's?does the fact they are 'gay' add any weight to anything? or have I become too politically correct? or is it sunstroke?”
by Citizen Smith, Cloud Cuckoo Land
Sunday, May 30 2010, 7:46PM
“This law is ridiculous and requires closer examination and a full review.
If a man meets a woman, who has a brood of children from previous relationships, is it his responsibility to take full financial responsibility for those children?
What happens if the man already has children from a previous relationship, who he supports financially? Is he expected to find even more money to support both families or stop paying for his own?
How would this even be possible if for instance he is unemployed or on a low income?
The fact of the matter is the government expect everyone to live on the complete poverty line, in order to satisfy their criteria for benefits. They label the out of work, with titles such as scroungers and irresponsible, however we all know its a complete different rule for them.
Every political party has been found guilty of snouts-in-the-trough better known as the public purse. They with all their highly acclaimed academic achievements having mostly enjoyed a top education the country's best institutions claim to not understand they rules, therefore how is a poorly educated person understand the complex rules and take a hit on the pennies provided to feed a family.
Many of the MP's caught up in the expenses scandal, as has been recently highlighted have gay lovers and escorts stashed away in luxury properties, at the expense of the public purse.
The reason why people try to fiddle the system is because they simply cannot afford to live otherwise.
A report was published last year which highlighted that the government could recoup 15 times the amount lost in fraudulent benefit claims annually, by applying the same diligence to income tax and VAT fiddlers as they do benefit cheats.”
by CA, Bristol
Sunday, May 30 2010, 5:32PM
“Dear 1stclass2010,
I have a job, I don't get paid much so I haven't had any kids yet. Tara has 3 and she's only 22 for goodness sake. Has she not heard of contraception? It's a disgrace. She's not the only woman who would like to have kids. Most others actually think about whether they can afford it though. I suggest she gets down the doctors asap and goes on the pill.
P.S. Please use punctuation (other than exclamation marks), reading your comments made my brain hurt. Also there is no such word as 'brung', it's 'brought'.”
by Your Nightmare Child, Home
Saturday, May 29 2010, 8:06PM
“Lucy, your post is spot on. If any friends of mine posted like those two have, I'd be wondering about my sense of judgement. :)
It doesn't matter who reported her. What matters is that she put information online that was used against her. If she didn't want it seen, she shouldn't have put it there. What stopped her supplying it by more conventional means, like a phone or talking in person? She was cheating the system and got caught. It's a pity she isn't being made to pay back every penny, but hopefully her criminal record will mark her card for the future.”
by Miss, Bristol
Saturday, May 29 2010, 6:06PM
“I don't think her "friends" are helping!”
by Lucy, MSN
Saturday, May 29 2010, 10:12AM
“Jordan,
Posting after your daily 10 cans of lager just makes you look like an idiot. If you can't post or speak without swearing, why bother?
1stclass2010,
Maybe she could use some of the £6k to fund some English lessons for you?”