Risca couple guilty of £93,000 benefit fraud (From Campaign Series)

Risca couple guilty of £93,000 benefit fraud

10:20am Tuesday 17th July 2012 in Campaign news By Ben Frampton - Crime reporter

FRAUD: Rachel Loisz

A GWENT couple lied for years in order to swindle more than £93,000 in benefits they were not entitled to.

Rachel Loisz and Richard Holland, both 40, cheated the Department for Work and Pensions out of £93,240.19 by lying about the fact they were a couple living together for more than seven years.

Cardiff Crown Court heard yesterday that Loisz, of Trafalgar Street, Risca, moved into an address in Holly Road, Risca, in March 2003. She told the DWP and council in her change of circumstance form that Holland was her landlord and he lived in Malpas Road, Newport.

The couple maintained this lie for years until the DWP and Caerphilly council received a tip-off they were partners.

Prosecutor Nuhu Gobir told the court when Loisz was interviewed under caution in February 2011, she confessed they were a couple and had been living together since 2003.

She also admitted Holland, of Dewston Street, Newport, was the father of one of her children, whereas previously she said she did not know who the father was.

Between March 2003 and April, 2010, Loisz falsely claimed £70,961.55 in income support, £3,206.28 in council tax benefit and £19,072.36 in housing benefit.

The couple has since split up and Loisz is repaying the money at a rate of £100 per month and has repaid £762.

Holland pleaded guilty to two counts of false accounting, making a false instrument, fraud by false representation and possession of criminal property. Owen Williams, defending, said he accepts his wrongdoing.

Loisz pleaded guilty to dishonestly obtaining benefits, making a false instrument, making false representations, failing to notify a change of circumstances and dishonestly obtaining a money transfer.

Eugene Egan, for Loisz, said she admitted her guilt straight away and was a mother to a six-month old baby and 11-year-old, as well as three children over 18.

Holland was jailed for 15 months, Loisz got a 12- month sentence, suspended for 18 months.