Mother admits to childcare tax fraud
Monday, 13th September 2004.
A MOTHER who claimed more than £2,000 in tax credits for childcare costs she had not incurred has appeared before magistrates on fraud charges.
Emma Jane Rawson, of Ovington Place, Haverhill, admitted a charge of fraud by dishonestly filling in a form last May giving false details of childcare costs.
Sudbury magistrates ordered her to repay £2,132, fined her £400 and ordered her to pay £250 towards prosecution costs.
William Redgrave, prosecuting for the Inland Revenue, said Rawson, who was previously of good character, had stated on the form she had weekly childcare costs of £60, which entitled her to 70 per cent of this back in tax credits.
Checks by the Inland Revenue revealed her three-yearold daughter had only been cared for by a child minder on three occasions who received a total of £57.
Jenny Carpenter, appearing for Rawson, said her 32-yearold client is pregnant and expecting a baby next year.
When she filled in the form she intended to use the child minder, but her child did not settle there. She then moved to night work at Grampian Foods, near Haverhill, so her family could care for her daughter and she no longer needed childcare.
At the time of the offence she was under quite a lot of pressure and distress after suffering several miscarriages.
"She is not someone who finds it easy to deal with finances.
She does of course realise when you claim benefit you have a responsibility to ensure you are still eligible for it," Mrs Carpenter said.
Emma Jane Rawson, of Ovington Place, Haverhill, admitted a charge of fraud by dishonestly filling in a form last May giving false details of childcare costs.
Sudbury magistrates ordered her to repay £2,132, fined her £400 and ordered her to pay £250 towards prosecution costs.
William Redgrave, prosecuting for the Inland Revenue, said Rawson, who was previously of good character, had stated on the form she had weekly childcare costs of £60, which entitled her to 70 per cent of this back in tax credits.
Checks by the Inland Revenue revealed her three-yearold daughter had only been cared for by a child minder on three occasions who received a total of £57.
Jenny Carpenter, appearing for Rawson, said her 32-yearold client is pregnant and expecting a baby next year.
When she filled in the form she intended to use the child minder, but her child did not settle there. She then moved to night work at Grampian Foods, near Haverhill, so her family could care for her daughter and she no longer needed childcare.
At the time of the offence she was under quite a lot of pressure and distress after suffering several miscarriages.
"She is not someone who finds it easy to deal with finances.
She does of course realise when you claim benefit you have a responsibility to ensure you are still eligible for it," Mrs Carpenter said.
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