A prosecution has been received from the investigations team at Wiltshire Council.
Claire Griggs, 33, of Woodland View, Dilton Marsh, Westbury, pleaded guilty at Chippenham Magistrates Court on Thursday 21st November 2013 to failing to notify both Wiltshire Council and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) that her husband Damien Griggs had returned to live in the family home from Monday 7th July 2010.
She was sentenced on Thursday 5th December 2013 to 12 weeks imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, plus 80 hours of unpaid work. She is also required to pay costs of £85. The total loss to public funds is £25,208.78 which will have to be repaid in full.
Benefits have been overpaid as follows: housing benefit: £12,892.56, council tax benefit: £3,434.58 (Monday 2nd August 2013 to Sunday 24th February 2013) and income support: £8,881.64 (Monday 26th July 2010 to Thursday 24th January 2013).
