Willaston local gets 150 hours
A Willaston woman who's previously admitted benefit fraud has been ordered to carry out 150 hours of community service.
Forty-four-year-old Nicola Ann Quirk, of Snaefell Road, appeared for sentencing before Deputy High Bailiff Jayne Hughes at Douglas courthouse yesterday.
The court heard she had failed to inform the Department of Health and Social Care about changes to her financial circumstances.
She had inherited £16,000 from her father and then received a further £46,000 compensation for his death.
The amount she was overpaid by the DHSC was £4,000.
The court heard Quirk knew she had to tell the department about her windfall, but didn't consider it a high priority at the time as she was getting over the death of her father and had a sick partner.
Quirk's advocate Peter Russell said his client had given much of the money away to family and friends.
He also described her as 'scatty' and 'not good' when it came to money.
In addition to the community service, Quirk has been ordered to continue paying back the benefits she was not entitled to at a rate of £20 per week.
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