Benefits fraudster who claimed she could barely walk caught thanks to Facebook horse pictures
Pictured Michelle Hanney.
(Image credit: DWP)
A woman who claimed thousands in disability benefits but was spotted in the saddle and walking a horse has been convicted, having tried to “take the taxpayer for a ride”.
Michelle Hanney, from Greasbrough, Rotherham, pleaded guilty to fraudulent activity, at Sheffield Magistrates’ Court. The 51-year-old was “caught stealing £33,711.24 in benefits”, the department for work and pensions (DWP) said, but was convicted on a lesser amount of £10,384.50.
The fraudulent activity to which Hanney pleaded guilty concerned the time between 1 May 2021 to 30 August 2022. She was sentenced to a 12-month community order, and the DWP will “now take steps to recover the full ill-gotten gains”.
MP Tom Pursglove, the minister responsible for tackling fraud, said: “The vast majority of disability benefit claims are correct, and we know the difference that these benefits can make to people.
“However, there is a small minority of people out to cheat the system. This conviction is another example of our relentless focus on finding those taking the taxpayer for a ride and bringing them to justice.”
The DWP spokesman said the latest figures show a 10% drop in fraud and error over the past year, and that in 2022, the DWP launched a “robust plan to further tackle fraud and error”.
You might also be interested in:
Stallion suffering with prolapsed penis had to be put down immediately
Desperate appeal to find missing miniature pony believed stolen
Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round
