Escort Convicted Of Benefit Fraud

1 July 2013, 11:31 | Updated: 1 July 2013, 11:58

A 61 year old woman from Abbots Langley who claimed over £33,000 of benefits has to pay it back because she was working as an escort.

Mrs Kathleen Callan, of The Fairway in Abbots Langley will have to repay over £33,000 and undertake a Woman's Specific Order within 18 Months after having her 24 weeks Custodial Sentence suspended for 18 months, after a successful prosecution was brought by Three Rivers District Council.

The 61 year old year old failed to declare to the local authority and the Department for Work and Pensions that she had an additional income working as an escort between January 2009 and July 2012.

Mrs Callan submitted a guilty plea on 15th April 2013 at Watford Magistrates Court for the £18,775.96 Housing and Council Tax Benefit along with the £14,537.61 Income Support she obtained under false pretences. She received a lesser sentence for the offences when her early guilty plea and full cooperation was taken into consideration by St Albans Crown Court on 13 May 2013.

Mrs Callan had to pay £250 towards the prosecution's legal costs on top of repaying the full amount of Benefits fraudulently obtained.