FOUR people across Monmouthshire have unlawfully racked up more than £28,700 in benefits.

Cwmbran Magistrates Court heard last Monday (23rd March) how all four defendants failed to notify Monmouthshire County Council (MCC) of their change in circumstances leading to the huge amount fraudulently obtained by the defendants.

Sarah Mills of Bishop's Close, Bulwark didn't inform MCC of a new partner living at the address. When interviewed by MCC, Mills claimed her partner used the address for postal purposes only. Ioan Gealy, representing MCC, said there was plenty of evidence to suggest this wasn't the case including jointly addressed bills.

Mills racked up £8,106.21 in housing benefits, £253 in council tax benefits and £992 under the Welsh council tax reduction scheme.

Mills subsequently pleaded guilty by post.

John Sharpe of Monnow Keep, Monmouth pleaded guilty to three counts of benefit fraud.

Since Sharpe started claiming benefits, the 51-year-old received an additional job at Haberdashers' school causing his income to increase.

Sharpe failed to inform the council about his new job which led to him unlawfully claiming £9,237.45 in housing benefits, £581.71 in council tax and £743.24 under the Welsh council reduction scheme.

Chairman of the magistrates, Paul C Phillips, said: "I believe the right thing here is to give you a community order of 180 hours unpaid work reduced to 120 because of your early guilty plea."

Sharpe owes the court a surcharge of £210 and will pay £20 a month.

Sharpe has been paying £10.95 a month to MCC and will continue to do so until he pays off the remaining £9,113.77.

When Alan Hartshorn of Goldwire Lane, Monmouth failed to send back a periodic form with details of his benefits, officers investigated and found both his income and his wife's had increased since he began claiming. This omission led to an additional £4,589.59 being awarded in housing benefits.

Hartshorn submitted a guilty plea by post and will be sentenced on Monday 13th April at Cwmbran Magistrates Court.

Stella Davies from Cottage Nurseries, Nant-y-derry will also return to Cwmbran Magistrates Court on Monday 13th April, she faces sentencing for £3,612.93 in housing benefit fraud and £624.16 in council tax fraud.

Richard Davies, head of revenues and benefits at MCC, said: "The council is determined to pursue benefit fraudsters through the court and trusts that the decisions made today will act as a deterrent to others."