Benefits cheat who stole more than £20k caught out by Facebook posts
A deceitful mum who falsely claimed over £20,000 in benefits while participating in numerous running events has been ordered to pay back the money. Sara Morris, 50, was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2005 but exaggerated her condition in 2020 to claim Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
The mother of three lied about the severity of her MS, claiming she lacked the strength to stand at the cooker, had balance issues and struggled to get out of the bath without help. She also alleged that leaving the house caused her such anxiety that even a trip to the chemist to pick up her medication left her in tears.
Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard that she received £2,292.63 in PIP each month. However, she failed to inform the Department for Works and Pensions (DWP) that she was actually a member of the Stone Master Marathoners and regularly participated in 5km and 10km races.
Her own Facebook posts of her running exposed her lies.
Morris, from Walton Way, Stone, was overpaid £20,528.83 between October 20, 2020 and April 25, 2023. She admitted to dishonestly making a false statement to obtain a benefit and was sentenced to eight months in prison last July, reports Stoke on Trent Live.
She recently reappeared at the same court for a Proceeds of Crime hearing. Judge Graeme Smith was informed that Morris benefited from her criminal actions by £22,386.02 and the available amount was £60,000.
He ordered Morris to repay £22,386.02 within 28 days or face nine months in prison.
The court learnt that surveillance on Morris was conducted from 5 to 20 February 2023, during which Prosecutor Regan Walters reported: "On February 5 she took part in a five-mile race and was seen running without assistance and showed no signs of balance problems. On February 11 she was seen running with the Stone Master Marathoners and showed no signs of discomfort."
Investigators discovered Morris participated in 73 races between May 2019 and December 2022.
Morris was interviewed on 11 May 2023 and confessed her condition had deteriorated; suffering from fatigue while simultaneously acknowledging her previous membership at Stone Master Marathoners. She mentioned that when filling out her PIP form, she described her symptoms at their worst.
Paul Cliff, representing Morris, recognised that although her MS diagnosis dates back 19 years and varies in intensity, Morris admitted to obscuring the full extent of her capacities: "But it is accepted by her that the application did not give the full picture. It crossed over into the realms of dishonesty."
Cliff also highlighted the hardships faced by Morris such as her marriage ending in early 2020 and financial struggles leading to the loss of her home: "She lost her home because of financial problems and was struggling to keep her head above water financially."
Cliff clarified that Morris didn't lead an extravagant life from the fraudulent claims and he added: "The application did not give the full picture. She did say running was one of the ways she tried to manage her MS. She has found it difficult to come to terms with her dishonesty."
Morris is also required to pay a surcharge of £187.
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