Latest news with #StoneMasterMarathoners
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
DWP PIP cuts blamed on likes of benefit cheat mum as she's forced to pay back £20k
People have slammed the 'audacity' of a benefit cheat mum who falsely claimed more than £20,000. Sara Morris duped the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) into thinking she was so unwell she struggled to leave the house or look after herself. The mum-of-three was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2005 and exaggerated its effects to claim PIP in 2020. The 50-year-old said she could not stand at the cooker and found it difficult to get out of the bath unaided. READ MORE: Midlands area where homeowners saw £45,000 wiped from value of properties READ MORE: Dad who experienced 'terrible back pain' died nine days after going to hospital Morris also claimed she was so anxious when she left the house that even a trip to the pharmacy to collect her medication left her in tears. However, in reality she was running multiple 5km and 10km races and even posted pictures of herself competing. She had failed to tell the DWP that she was a member of the Stone Master Marathoners and was overpaid £20,528.83 between October 20, 2020 and April 25, 2023. Morris, of Walton Way, Stone, admitted dishonestly making a false statement to obtain a benefit and was jailed for eight months in July 2024. During a recent proceeds of crime hearing, Judge Graeme Smith was told Morris benefited from her criminality to the tune of £22,386.02 and the available amount was £60,000. He ordered Morris to repay £22,386.02 within 28 days or serve nine months in prison in default. And BirminghamLive readers have slammed the mum's actions saying that people like her are the reason PIP payments are so difficult to obtain. Karen said: "People like this are the reason genuine disabled are being affected today." Victoria added: "Because of people like her we [are] going to suffer." "I'd laugh at the audacity but it's really not funny," Claire added. Wayne wrote: "How on earth did she manage to get away with it. With my arthritis and other issues I provided medical proof from consultants, doctors, medical exams, blood tests, MRIs and X-rays. "Did she manage to fool all the latter medical evidence or did no one at the DWP bother to check?" Lisa added: "So she should pay every penny back." "And this is the reason why it is so hard to get PIP," Kimberley said. She added: "I had my first two rejected so I had to get a disability professional to help me with the forms. I struggle walking because of my asthma and old injury." A court had heard how investigators carried out surveillance on Morris from February 5 to February 20, 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." Morris competed in 73 races between May 2019 and December 2022. During an interview in May 2023, Morris said her MS had worsened and she was suffering from fatigue. She confirmed she had been a member of Stone Master Marathoners running club prior to making her claim and filled in her PIP form on her worst day, StokeonTrentLive reports. Paul Cliff, defending, said the 'severity' of her condition's 'impact ebbs and flows to a degree'. He said: "But it is accepted by her that the application did not give the full picture. It crossed over into the realms of dishonesty." The court heard how Morris's marriage broke down in the spring of 2020 and she did not enjoy a lavish lifestyle as a result of her fraudulent claim, Mr Cliff said. He added: "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 multiple sclerosis. "She has found it difficult to come to terms with her dishonesty." Morris must also pay a £187 surcharge. At an earlier hearing, the court was told that Morris would not have been awarded PIP had she been honest about her condition. Mr Walters said: "The benefit was paid on the basis she would notify the DWP of any changes which affected the amount of benefits. "The DWP obtained photographs of the defendant and some Facebook posts taken by Morris herself. "She had been taking part in marathons, races and orienteering. "The first photo was taken a month after she signed her initial claim form. "The defendant can be seen to have been taking part in a competitive run two days prior to making that initial claim. "At no point was information received from the defendant reporting any improvement in her condition during her claim for PIP. "The defendant reported receiving assistance in almost every aspect of her life. "On some days her stress and anxiety led to her being housebound." She added she used a walking stick when she felt tired and unsteady. "The defendant exaggerated her issues throughout the claim process."
The Independent
a day ago
- General
- The Independent
Benefits cheat mother who lied about MS caught by posting her running trips on Facebook
A benefits cheat who lied about her multiple sclerosis (MS) to claim more than £20,000 was caught after competing in scores of running events and sharing them on social media. Sara Morris, 50, 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 inflated the severity of her MS and also claimed to be so anxious when she left the house that even a trip to the pharmacy to collect her medication left her in tears. She had also claimed that she lacked balance, and was unable to get out of her bath nor stand at her cooker. Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard she failed to mention to the Department for Works and Pensions (DWP) that she was in fact a member of the Stone Master Marathoners and regularly ran 5km and 10km races. She was caught out by her own Facebook posts of her running. Morris, of Walton Way, Stone, was overpaid £20,528.83 between October 20, 2020 and April 25, 2023. She pleaded guilty to dishonestly making a false statement to obtain a benefit and was jailed for eight months last July. During her court case, she accepted that her application 'crossed over into the realms of dishonesty'. She ended up serving nine weeks in total and recently reappeared at Stoke-on-Trent Crown 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. He ordered Morris to repay £22,386.02 within 28 days or serve nine months in prison in default.
Metro
2 days ago
- Metro
Benefits cheat mum said she had severe MS while posting about running 10k races
A mum-of-three convicted of exaggerating her disability to claim more than £22,000 in benefits has been ordered to repay the money. Sara Morris, 50, who has Multiple Sclerosis, said it left her struggling with balance and too weak to stand at the cooker or get out of the bath without help. She also said she suffered anxiety leaving the house which left her in tears after a trip to the pharmacy to collect medication. But photos Morris posted to her Facebook account showed her regularly running 5km and 10km races as part of the Stone Master Marathoners club in her home town of Stone, Staffordshire. Investigators carried out surveillance over a 15-day period in 2023 and saw her running twice, including in a five-mile race, which she completed 'without assistance and showed no signs of balance problems'. Further checks confirmed she had taken part in 73 races between May 2019 and December 2022. Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard Morris was diagnosed with MS in 2005. Last year she pleaded guilty to dishonestly making a false statement to obtain a benefit in 2020, and was jailed for eight months. She was found to have been overpaid £20,528.83 between October 2020 and April 2023, benefiting from the false statement to the tune of £22,386.02 in total. Multiple Sclerosis symptoms vary widely from patient to patient, and in some cases can disappear completely before coming back in a relapse. When interviewed in May 2023, Morris said her MS had worsened. She admitted to being a member of the running club, a fact she did not mention in her benefits claim, but said she filled out the form on her 'worst day'. Paul Cliff, mitigating, said Morris' marriage had broken down in early 2020 and that 'she lost her home because of financial problems and was struggling to keep her head above water financially'. He said the 'severity of [Morris' condition] ebbs and flows to a degree', adding: 'But it is accepted by her that the application did not give the full picture. 'It crossed over into the realms of dishonesty. '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.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Rest easier with Emma Sleep's Summer Sale – shop our top picks with up to 20% off MORE: Moment Scottish gangster chased through his Spanish pub and shot dead MORE: Thomas Frank odds-on favourite to become next Tottenham manager if Ange Postecoglou gets sacked
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Benefit cheat's lies exposed by her own Facebook posts
A benefits cheat who lied about her MS battle to claim more than £20,000 was caught out by her own running posts on Facebook. Sara Morris, 50, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2005, and in 2020 claimed that the severity of her disease had left her unable to stand at the cooker. The mother-of-three also claimed she lacked balance and experienced difficulties in getting out of the bath unassisted. Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard she was paid £2,292.63 a month in Personal Independence Payment (PIP), and told the Department for Work and Pensions she was anxious about leaving the house, with even a trip to the pharmacy to collect her medication leaving her in tears. But she failed to mention that she was a member of the Stone Master Marathoners and regularly ran 5km and 10km races, the court heard. She was caught out by her Facebook posts about her running, the court was told. A DWP investigation carried out in Feb 2023 found Morris took part in a five-mile race and was seen running without assistance, showing no signs of balance problems. The investigation uncovered that she competed in 73 races between May 2019 and Dec 2022. Morris, from Stone, Staffordshire, was overpaid £20,528.83 between Oct 20 2020 and April 25 2023. She pleaded guilty to dishonestly making a false statement to obtain a benefit and was jailed for eight months last July. Now she has 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. He ordered Morris to repay £22,386.02 within 28 days or serve nine months in prison in default. Paul 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 added: '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 that she did not enjoy a lavish lifestyle as a result of 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 was also ordered to pay a £187 surcharge. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
2 days ago
- General
- Telegraph
Benefit cheat's lies exposed by her own Facebook posts
A benefits cheat who lied about her MS battle to claim more than £20,000 was caught out by her own running posts on Facebook. Sara Morris, 50, was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2005, and in 2020 claimed that the severity of her disease had left her unable to stand at the cooker. The mother-of-three also claimed she lacked balance and experienced difficulties in getting out of the bath unassisted. Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard she was paid £2,292.63 a month in Personal Independence Payment (PIP), and told the Department for Work and Pensions she was anxious leaving the house, with even a trip to the pharmacy to collect her medication leaving her in tears. But she failed to mention that she was a member of the Stone Master Marathoners and regularly ran 5km and 10km races, the court heard. She was caught out by her Facebook posts about her running, the court was told. A DWP investigation carried out in Feb 2023 found Morris took part in a five-mile race and was seen running without assistance, showing no signs of balance problems. The investigation uncovered that she competed in 73 races between May 2019 and Dec 2022. Morris, from Stone, Staffordshire, was overpaid £20,528.83 between Oct 20 2020 and April 25 2023. She pleaded guilty to dishonestly making a false statement to obtain a benefit and was jailed for eight months last July. Now she has 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. He ordered Morris to repay £22,386.02 within 28 days or serve nine months in prison in default. Paul 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 added: '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 that she did not enjoy a lavish lifestyle as a result of 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 was also ordered to pay a £187 surcharge.
