Cathedral of the Annunciation

A mother who lied that she was a single so she could claim £30,000 in benefits was rumbled by her Facebook relationship status.

Denise Lonie, who now faces a jail sentence, admitted lying to the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) for more than four years.

The 37-year-old told welfare officials that she had split from partner Graeme Heatherwick, despite the fact they were living together as a family with their two children at their home in Dundee.

She hid their relationship in order to claim working tax credit and child tax credit. In reality the family were living and taking holidays together, and Lonie was sharing household expenses with Mr Heatherwick.

Fiscal depute Nicola Gillespie told Dundee Sheriff Court that an investigation started after the DWP received information that Lonie was not a single mother, as she had claimed.

She said: "There were various checks through banks and other establishments such as the council.

"They appeared to show that Mr Heatherwick resided at her address. His bank account was registered at that address, as was his credit card.

"He was down as an emergency contact with the school and the address was given as her address.

"Checks were done on her Facebook account which showed her as in a relationship with him.

"There were photos of holidays taken and comments by him with her saying things like 'sitting on the patio with the missus'.

"He was interviewed by the DWP and said he lived with her and their two children. They had been living together since 2005 but split briefly in 2009 before reconciling.

"She was interviewed in December 2013 and said she had been 'stupid' and knew it was her responsibility."

Lonie, of Fintryside in Dundee, pleaded guilty on indictment to a charge of being knowingly concerned in a fraudulent activity with a view to obtaining tax credits to which she was not entitled.

Sheriff Lorna Drummond QC deferred sentence until next month for social work background reports and released Lonie on bail meantime.

She added: "This is a serious and significant offence totalling £30,000. The court has custody at the forefront of it's mind with a significant amount of money involved like that."Read more