Northern Ireland

Woman (30) given suspended sentence for £45k benefit fraud

A 30-year-old woman has been convicted of benefit fraud. Picture by Hugh Russell
A 30-year-old woman has been convicted of benefit fraud. Picture by Hugh Russell A 30-year-old woman has been convicted of benefit fraud. Picture by Hugh Russell

A 30-YEAR-OLD woman has been handed a suspended 15-month jail sentence for falsely claiming more than £45,000 in benefits.

Catriona Gorman, of Earlscourt Street in west Belfast, claimed income support and housing benefit while failing to declare she was living with her partner.

She was given a 15-month sentence at Belfast Crown Court on Tuesday suspended for two years and must repay any money owed to the Social Security Agency.