Welfare fraud earns long probation term

Press, 29 September 1979, Page 23

Welfare fraud earns long probation term

PA Auckland A woman who defrauded the Department of Social Welfare of more than $ll,OOO has been put or. probation. Colleen Margaret Burgess. aged 32, was earlier convicted in the Magistrate’s Court at North Shore on five charges of fraud against the department. involving $11,600. She had pleaded guilty to charges that between 1975 and November last year in order to receive emergency unemployment benefits she made five false statements to the Department of Social Welfare that she was not receiving any allowance at a time when she was living in a de facto marriage. She was put on three years probation, the maximum term. Special conditions imposed were that she live and work where directed: that she put her financial affairs under the probation officers direction and control: and that she pay not less than half of her wage each week towards restitution.

Mr .1. H. Murray. S.M., I said he would not sen- : fence Burgess to prison I mainly because of her I having to care for her two | daughters, because of her I ill health, and because she now’ had employment. The Magistrate said he ) had to recognise the prac- | tical impossibility of Burgess’s repaying all the : money.