A benefit fraudster, who claimed more than £10,000 she wasn’t entitled to, has been sentenced to 120 hours’ community service.

Rachel Amber Green failed to declare all her self-employed work as a private tutor, as well as money given to her by a family friend.

The 47-year-old Ramsey woman admitted four counts of benefit fraud and was said to have already paid back the full amount of £10,953 from her savings.

Prosecuting advocate Peter Connick told the court that Green had been receiving Employed Persons Allowance between December 2020 and July 2021.

She also received Manx Earnings Replacement Allowance during the pandemic.

In June 2023, information was received that she had been receiving money from a former partner, which she had not been declaring.

Access was gained to her bank account, which showed total credits of £49,835 between two periods, January 2021 to March 2022, and June 2022 to April 2023.

Mr Connick said that only £23,000 had been declared.

Green was interviewed by the Department of Health and Social Care and when shown the bank records, said that she had ADHD and got things wrong sometimes.

She said that most people paid her cash for her private tutoring.

She also claimed that she had taken out some loans but the prosecutor said that the bank account was showing earnings.

Green, who lives at Premier Road, also said that her partner had supported her with bills and a mortgage.

The defendant had initially pleaded not guilty to the offences but then changed her pleas to guilty at the pre-trial review stage.

A probation report said that Green was continuing to work as a private tutor, teaching Maths and English, but only worked two to five hours per week and was still claiming Job Seekers Allowance.

Green told probation that she had been under severe stress at the time of the offences, after marital issues.

She said that, although she was a tutor, she felt her bookkeeping skills were affected by her ADHD and that her admin skills were below par.

Green told probation that she had savings and could pay a financial penalty or prosecution costs.

Defence advocate Ian Kermode said that the benefit claim had not been fraudulent from the outset and handed in letters of reference for his client, which he said described her as a ‘kind, loving, loyal and very helpful’, as well as a basis of plea.

Mr Kermode said that the offences had involved Green under declaring her income rather than not declaring it at all.

Magistrates also ordered the defendant to pay £300 prosecution costs within one month.