Benefits used to pay phone bill (From The Argus)

Benefits used to pay phone bill

2:41pm Thursday 22nd November 2001 in

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A LANDLADY and her former lodger who fraudulently obtained housing benefit, planned to use it to pay off a phone bill.

Martin Cottington admitted he did nothing to change his housing benefit payments to landlady Gillian Lamb, 56, of Evry Road, Sidcup, after starting work in May last year.

Cottington, 29, who now lives in Doncaster, suggested Lamb use almost £1,500 in overpaid benefits to pay a phone debt.

Bexley Magistrates' Court heard the two knew they should have stopped the benefit payments but had decided not to.

Cottington and Lamb were sentenced to 70 and 50 hours community service respectively. They were ordered to pay £250 costs each.