Welfare fraud admitted

Press, 3 June 1982, Page 4

Welfare fraud admitted

A woman, aged 50. convicted of being overpaid $3152 in domestic purposes benefits by the Department of Social Welfare, told police she did not want her estranged husband’s maintenance commitments to stop. The woman, who admitted the offence, was remanded by Judge Paterson in the District Court yesterday to June 16 for a probation report and sentence. She was granted interim suppression of her name. Sergeant M. P. Caldwell said the defendant had been in receipt of the benefit between December. 1975, and November, 1981.

On February 18. last year, the defendant had told the department that because of ill health she was ceasing her employment. Using another name she had then stayed on with the firm for the 10 months over which the offending had taken place. Sergeant Caldwell said the defendant, represented by Mr M. J. Glue, had not advised the department because, she told the police, she did not want her maintenance payments to stop. the $3152 overpaid, and for which compensation was sought, had been used to renovate her dwelling, he said. CHARGE DENIED A woman charged with ill-

treating her daughter, aged three, denied the alleged offence. The woman, a housewife (Mr W. Rosenberg) was remanded to July 26 for a defended hearing: It is alleged that on May 18, the woman, having custody of her daughter, wilfully ill-treated her in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering. Interim suppression of the defendant's name was continued. The Judge was told that the little girl was in the care of the Department of Social Welfare. Bail was not opposed by Sergeant Caldwell. NO PLEAS A woman, aged 18, facing two charges of theft and one of attempted theft, involving property worth $llOO, was remanded at large without plea to June 10. It is alleged that on May 21 the woman, described as a gardener, stole cash, clothing, a wallet, and make-up to a total value of $316, that on May 26 she stole $4OO cash, a woman's watch, purse and contents, to a total value of $589, and that two days later she attempted to steal a handbag and woman’s jacket, to a total value of $2lO. At the request of counsel (Mr J. E. Cullens) the defendant was granted interim suppression of her name.