A benefits fraudster has been spared jail despite fraudulently pocketing £65,000 in Universal Credit payments.
Kelly Smyth, 38, of Portlec Place, Lurgan in Northern Ireland, was convicted at Craigavon Crown Court for the offences.
She was found to have been claiming the benefits, totalling £65,079, while failing to declare joint living arrangements.
The fraud was uncovered following an investigation by the Department for Communities.
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Ms Smyth was handed a sentence of 12 months’ imprisonment, which was suspended for two years.
This means she will not spend time behind bars.
However, the fraudster will also be required to repay in full the money she wrongfully claimed.
It follows a similar case late last month, where a Belfast woman was spared prison after being found guilty of benefit fraud exceeding £10,000.
A woman was convicted of claiming £65,079 in universal credit while failing to declare joint living arrangements
|PA
The 51-year-old woman was convicted at Belfast Magistrates' Court for dishonestly obtaining Universal Credit payments.
The conviction resulted from her failure to disclose capital assets whilst making benefit claims.
Nora Murray, aged 51 and residing on Finaghy Road North in Belfast, was convicted of claiming £10,190 through fraudulent means.
Ms Murray received a three-month custodial sentence, suspended for one year.
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The 38-year-old was handed a sentence of 12 months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years
|PA
The conviction forms part of a broader crackdown on welfare fraud initiated by Communities Minister Gordon Lyons.
The minister has reinstated the practice of publicly identifying those found guilty of benefit fraud, marking a shift towards what he describes as a "zero-tolerance approach" to such offences.
This policy reversal reflects the minister's determination to tackle an issue that reportedly drains more than £160million annually from Northern Ireland's public finances.
The decision to name convicted fraudsters publicly serves as a central component of the Government's strategy to deter potential offenders and protect the integrity of the welfare system.
2024 saw £7.4billion lost to benefits fraud last year
|GB NEWS
Speaking before the Assembly in February, Minister Lyons emphasised that benefit fraud represents "not just a financial issue, it is a moral one".
He argued that those who defraud the system "are not stealing from a faceless institution; they are taking from their neighbours, friends, and fellow citizens".
The minister warned that such actions "undermine the very safety net that many depend on".
He declared: "Let me be clear: I am adopting a zero-tolerance approach. I am personally committed to rooting out fraud and ensuring that those who exploit the system are held accountable."
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