Bristol homeowner spared jail for benefit fraud

A Bristol property owner who drew £9,800 housing benefit, claiming to be a tenant, has been handed a suspended jail term.

Glenis Chard received the payments from Bristol City Council between December 2005 and September 2007, the city's crown court heard.

The court was told if she had made legitimate claims she might well have been better off.

Chard, 63, of Rossiter Grange, Bishopsworth, pleaded guilty to two counts of making a false statement to obtain benefit.

Handing her a 12-week prison sentence, suspended for two years, Judge Carol Hagen told her: "I'm quite satisfied a custodial sentence has to be imposed.

"I think I can suspend that sentence of imprisonment because of your previous good character, your guilty plea at the very first opportunity and the state of your health."

The judge ordered Chard to observe a 28-day curfew, in which she must stay at home between 10pm and 8am on electronic tag.

A hearing to confiscate proceeds of crime in the case was scheduled for December 2.

Alan Fuller, prosecuting, told the court that from April 2006, Chard made a claim to the city council for housing benefit and asked it to be backdated to December 2005 because ill health had prevented her from claiming previously.

Mr Fuller said Chard submitted a tenancy agreement between herself and Chew Valley Estates, which she said was the landlord's agent.

The court heard that in September 2006 Chard reapplied for housing benefit regarding another home in Rossiter Grange, submitting a tenancy arrangement with the same agent.

Mr Fuller said: "In November 2007 an investigation revealed the defendant owned both properties."

Chard told authorities it had been intended that she would be a tenant and work for the agent, but she had been unable to do so.

She made mortgage payments with housing benefit she was not entitled to receive, Mr Fuller said.

Julie Phillips, defending, said her client suffered from severe arthritis and her mental and emotional health had further suffered due to the stress of the prosecution.

She said: "Had she put her mind to what she was doing she might have realised that making the representation she knew to be incorrect was not a sensible way forward."