A woman claimed £39,327 in benefits that she wasn’t entitled to over a 10-year-period, a court heard.

Julie Elizabeth Corlett, of Lord Street, in Douglas, failed to tell authorities she was living with her partner when she claimed Income Support.

The 52-year-old was sentenced to 240 hours of community service after admitting benefit fraud.

Deemster Alastair Montgomerie said the sentence was a direct alternative to six months’ custody.

Prosecutor Rachael Braidwood told the court how, Corlett had been receiving income support benefit since 2006.

She had signed declarations stating that there had been no change in her circumstances in 2012, 2014 and 2016.

However, in June 2018, information was received that Corlett was not living at the address she claimed in Hibbin Way, Douglas.

Investigations revealed that the boiler at the Hibbin Way address had been locked off in October 2016 and that electricity consumption had been less than one unit per day for the last 10 years.

Neighbours also said that Corlett had not lived at the address for years.

Interview

When interviewed at Markwell House, Corlett continued to say that there had been no changes in her circumstances and that she stayed at her parents’ house twice a week but the rest of the time was at the Hibbin Way address.

When evidence was put to her she said that she stayed at her partner’s twice a week but continued to claim she had not moved addresses.

Eventually she admitted she had not lived at Hibbin Way for a number of years but said that she did not think she was doing anything wrong.

Defence advocate Kate Alexander said that her client had a long history of anxiety and depression and had been under her GP’s care for a number of years.

’The claim was not fraudulent from the outset, ’said Ms Alexander.

’Ms Corlett remains in receipt of Income Support.

’She was simply being paid too much through not submitting true circumstances.

’She is embarrassed and ashamed to be before the court and has found it extremely difficult to tell her family of these proceedings.’

The advocate went on to say that Corlett had begun paying back the overpayment at rate of £20 per week and had so far repaid £440.

A doctor’s report described Corlett as a ’vulnerable individual with long standing and recurrent mental health issues’ who would require regular monitoring if sent to custody.

Deemster Montgomerie told Corlett: ’It was the best part of 10 years that you have been defrauding the Manx taxpayer.’