Two people from Northern Ireland have been convicted of claiming thousands of pounds-worth of benefits they were not entitled to.
The defendants were convicted of benefit fraud at Craigavon Crown Court on July 4.
They include Louise Dawson, of Canal Mews, Aghalee, who claimed Income Support and Housing Benefit totalling £76,225 whilst failing to declare joint living arrangements.
The 38-year-old was handed an 18-month prison sentence suspended for two years.
Separately, Tyrell Yellowe, aged 35 and of Obins Avenue, Portadown, claimed £41,529 in Universal Credit whilst failing to declare joint living arrangements.
Yellowe was given a prison sentence of one year and four months, suspended for two years.
Both are also required to repay any outstanding money wrongfully obtained to the Department for Communities (DfC).
Earlier this year, the DfC announced it was to reintroduce the process of naming those convicted of benefit fraud as part of a "zero-tolerance" approach.
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Benefits fraudster dodges jail despite claiming £76,225 they were not entitled to
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Communities minister, Gordon Lyons, said the benefit system was a key component in a fair and compassionate society that needed to be protected from abuse.
Speaking to the Northern Ireland Assembly in February, Minister Lyons said: "Welfare fraud is not just a financial issue, it is a moral one.
"When individuals cheat the system, they are not stealing from a faceless entity; they are taking from their neighbours, their friends, and their fellow citizens.
"They are undermining the very safety net that so many rely on.
The fraudsters were sentenced at Craigavon Crown Court
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"Therefore, let me be unequivocal: I am taking a zero-tolerance approach. I am personally committed to rooting out fraud and ensuring that those who exploit the system face the consequences.”
Between April 2023 to March 2024, the DfC said £6.3million in overpaid benefits was identified.
All the money was later repaid to the department, it said.
The Dfc urges members of the public who suspect someone is committing benefit fraud to get in touch.
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