Overview
- Louise Stuart, 60, admitted two counts of failing to disclose changes affecting her ESA and housing benefit over roughly eight years.
- Judge Michael Fanning imposed an 11-month sentence suspended for 18 months and an eight-month curfew from 8pm to 7am.
- Repayments were set at £50 per month on the £85,000 overpayment, with the judge noting the full sum is unlikely to be recovered.
- DWP investigators established cohabitation with partner Russel Harrison using address records and Facebook posts of their engagement and holidays.
- Harrison is serving an 18-month prison term for a separate £36,000 PIP fraud carried out while he worked as an HGV driver.