£11,800 Confiscated From Benefits Fraudster
CROWN OFFICE AND PROCURATOR FISCAL SERVICE
NEWS RELEASE
7 FEBRUARY 2012
£11,800 CONFISCATED FROM BENEFITS FRAUDSTER
At Banff Sheriff Court today, a Confiscation Order for £11,800 was made against Kate Smeaton (DOB 21-09-1971).
Smeaton, from Winchester, had previously pled guilty to wrongly claiming income support benefit totalling £12,000. She had pretended to be living alone as an unemployed single parent when she was in fact living with her husband, who was employed full-time. She was sentenced to 240 hours community service.
Lindsey Miller, Head of the Serious and Organised Crime Division (SOCD) and the current POCA champion, said:
"If you choose to steal from the public purse by committing benefit fraud you will be pursued under the Proceeds of Crime Act for any money you made in this way.
"We will continue to use the law to catch up with benefit fraudsters, and this should not be viewed as an easy way for criminals to make money.
"The Proceeds of Crime Act is being used every day to recover money from all kinds of criminals for its re-investment in good causes. More than £44million has been invested this way already.
"Our message is clear; we are using, and will continue to use, the powers we have available to us to target anyone else chooses to fund their lifestyle through crime."
Ends
Notes for Editors
1. At Banff Sheriff Court on 31 October 2011, Kate Smeaton pled guilty to Section 111A of the Social Security Administration Act 1992. She had claimed income support as an unemployed single parent, when she was in fact living with her husband Craig Smeaton, who was in full time employment. She pled guilty to benefit fraud of £12,000. The offences took place between 11 July 2006 and 06 November 2009.
2. A Confiscation Order is an order made by the court following criminal conviction, to pay a fixed sum of money from the proceeds of crime. An application for confiscation is one of the tools at the disposal of the Crown under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and Proceeds of Crime (Scotland) Act 1995.
3. The Serious and Organised Crime Division works together with colleagues at the Civil Recovery Unit, and other law enforcement agencies, such as the Scottish Drugs Enforcement Agency, UK Police Forces, HM Revenue and Customs and Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) to identify and recover the proceeds of crime.
4. Proceeds of Crime legislation is also used by the Civil Recovery Unit acting on behalf of Scottish Ministers. The Civil Recovery Unit investigates and recovers the property realised through criminal activity of individuals, in the civil courts without the need for criminal conviction.
5. Since 2003, the use of the Proceeds of Crime Act in Scotland has allowed over ?60million to be recovered from criminals. Money recovered under the Proceeds of Crime Act is invested by Scottish Ministers. Over £44m of these proceeds have been put to excellent use by investing in a wide range of sporting, cultural, educational and mentoring activities for children and young people through the CashBack for Communities programme. Since the programme's inception in 2007, over 600,000 young people across Scotland have benefited. Details can be found at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/cashback
6. The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service is a committed member of the Scottish Government's Serious Organised Crime Task Force. The Task Force has a remit to pursue serious organised crime in all its forms by bringing together all agencies involved in tackling organised crime groups. Task Force members include the Cabinet Secretary for Justice, the Lord Advocate, representatives from COPFS, the Scottish Government, ACPOS, SCDEA, HMRC, SOCA and SPS. Details of the work of the Taskforce can be accessed here: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Justice/crimes/organised-crime.
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