Latest news with #Proceeds
The Herald Scotland
4 days ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Woman jailed for fraud ordered to repay thousands
At Kilmarnock Sheriff Court on 28 May 2025, the Court made a confiscation order in the sum of £81,589.86 and recorded that the benefit of criminal conduct was £516,268.98. The confiscation order can be revisited if further assets are identified in the future to be paid towards the full amount that was determined as the benefit of the crime. Houston, also known as Bryden, was convicted at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court after she admitted embezzling £253,281.30 while working as an office administrator at Kelburn Construction in Kilmarnock from February 2017 to January 2019. READ MORE: Months later she started embezzling £262,987.68 while working as a bookkeeper for WM Donnelly and Co Ltd in East Kilbride, taking the cash between May 2019, and March 2021. A compensation order in the sum of £41,610.83 was awarded to Wm Donnelly and Co Ltd. A second compensation order in the sum of £39,979.03, was awarded to Kelburn Construction. Sineidin Corrins, Deputy Procurator Fiscal for Serious Casework at the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), said: 'This confiscation underscores the fact that prosecution of those involved in financial crime does not stop at criminal conviction and sentencing. 'Even after that conviction was secured, the Crown pursued Proceeds of Crime action to ensure the funds Stephanni Houston obtained illegally were confiscated. 'Confiscation orders have ongoing financial consequences, meaning we can seek to recover further assets from this individual in the future to reflect the full amount."
ITV News
4 days ago
- ITV News
Stoke-on-Trent benefits cheat mum caught out by her own Facebook posts while running marathons
A mother from Stoke-on-Trent who falsely claimed more than £20,000 in benefits while posting social media pictures of her running marathons, has been ordered to repay the money. Sara Morris, 50 and from Stone, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2005. But in 2020 she exaggerated the extent of her condition and claimed Personal Independence Payment (PIP). The mother-of-three lied about the extent of her condition, saying she wasn't able to stand at the cooker, lacked balance and had difficulties getting out of the bath also claimed to be anxious when she left the house, saying a trip to the pharmacy to collect her medication left her in Crown Court heard she was paid £2,292.63 in PIP a month. But she failed to inform the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) that she was a member of the Stone Master Marathoners, and regularly ran 5km and 10km was caught out by her own Facebook posts of her running. Morris was overpaid £20,528.83 in benefits between October 20th 2020 and April 25th 2023. She pleaded guilty to dishonestly making a false statement to obtain a benefit, and was jailed for eight months last has now re-appeared at the same court for a Proceeds of Crime hearing. Judge Graeme Smith was told Morris benefited from her criminality by £22,386.02, and the available amount was £60,000. Morris was ordered to repay £22,386.02 within 28 days, or serve nine months in prison in default. "She took part in a five-mile race" The court heard investigators carried out surveillance on Morris from February 5th to February 20th 2023. Prosecutor Regan Walters said "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."The investigation found that Morris had competed in 73 races between May 2019 and December 2022. "It crossed over into the realms of dishonesty" Morris was interviewed on May 11th 2023 and said her multiple sclerosis had worsened, and that she was suffering from fatigue. But she confirmed she had been a member of Stone Master Marathoners running club before making her claim, adding that she had filled in her PIP form on her worst Cliff, mitigating, said Morris was diagnosed with MS 19 years ago and the "severity of its impact ebbs and flows to a degree"'. .Mr Cliff said "But it is accepted by her that the application did not give the full picture. It crossed over into the realms of dishonesty."He said Morris's marriage broke down in the spring of 2020, and said she did not enjoy a lavish lifestyle through her fraudulent claim. Mr Cliff said "She lost her home because of financial problems and was struggling to keep her head above water financially."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 must also pay a £187 surcharge.
