Universal Credit fraudster repaying DWP swindled £12,000

Louise McIntosh, 36, has begun making monthly repayments to the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) at a rate of £36.87 - meaning it would take her nearly 30 YEARS to clear what she owes.

McIntosh had been charged with lying on a benefits claim form to obtain 17 monthly payments totalling £24,155 between March 2017 and August 2018.

The case proceeded to trial at Greenock Sheriff and following an adjournment she had a guilty plea, negotiated by her lawyer Amy Spencer, to defrauding the public purse of £12,000 accepted by the Crown.

McIntosh knowingly made a false statement or representation, on behalf of herself and her partner Bryan McDonald, declaring they had less than £6,000 in savings - thus entitling them to full support from the Department for Work and Pensions.

However, it transpired during the course of the prosecution that she actually had more than £42,000 in undeclared savings.

READ MORE: 'Benefit fraud' trial told accused had savings of over £42,000

McIntosh was due to be sentenced at a follow-up hearing on Wednesday, however, Miss Spencer told the court that a criminal justice social work report on her client was not available.

The court heard that McIntosh has been paying the illegally obtained sum back for a year and a half.

A procurator fiscal depute said that since the last calling of the case two payments have been made, in August and September, of £36.87 each, totalling £73.74.

READ MORE: Alleged £24k benefits cheat not in court for trial as she was 'locked in own home'

McIntosh, whose address was given as the Inverclyde Centre, was also convicted of failing to appear at a previous calling of the fraud case, with her lawyer stating in June that she was 'not able to attend' as she was 'locked in her own house'.

Sheriff Anthony McGeehan has further deferred sentence on McIntosh until October 25.