A 27-year-old Douglas woman has been convicted of a £13,438 benefit fraud.

Claire Rosin Campbell, of Linden Gardens, admitted not telling the DHSC she was living with her partner at a separate property while she claimed income support.

Prosecutor Rachael Braidwood told the court how, in September 2013, Campbell was claiming income support benefit on the basis of being a lone parent living at a property in Head Road.

However, in August 2017 information was received by the DHSC that she was not living there but was living with her partner his home at Linden Gardens.

payments

Manx Utilities showed she had not made any payments into a key meter between March and November 2017 at her Head Road address. A payment of £50 had then been made on November 2 but only 57 units had been used between March and November.

This compared to the previous six months in which 2,504 units were used.

On November 20 she was interviewed by social security officers and said that she had been staying at her partners at weekends.

When quizzed about the electricity readings she said that she did not use it because she spent time with a neighbour due to suffering from anxiety and only slept at her Head Road address.

Her partner was questioned and he said that she only stayed with him at weekends and the odd night.

However, a neighbour of the man said that the couple had been living together at Linden Gardens for 12 months.

Campbell entered a basis of plea saying that she was pregnant at the time and suffering from anxiety and felt she needed someone with her.

She said that between November and January she had been splitting her time equally between the two properties and had moved permanently after January 10 when her income support stopped.

Deputy High Bailiff Jayne Hughes adjourned the case for reports to be prepared by probation and Campbell will be sentenced on May 3.