39-year-old overpaid almost £30k she wasn't entitled to
A Castletown woman has been ordered to carry out unpaid work after defrauding the taxpayer of tens of thousands of pounds.
Nichola Karen Whitlam-Beckett, of King Williams Way, was overpaid almost £30,000 in benefits between July 2018 and February 2023.
During that time the 39-year-old failed to tell Treasury her circumstances had changed and that she was working and receiving maintenance payments from the fathers of her children.
She later admitted two counts of benefit fraud.
During sentencing at Douglas Courthouse Whitlam-Beckett’s advocate said the offending had been ‘out of character’ and she'd not ‘set out to defraud the system’.
"This has been an error of judgement," he added confirming that she ‘recognises her wrongdoing’ and is currently paying the overpayment back from the benefits she’s now receiving.
Sentencing Whitlam-Beckett to 200 hours of community service, which must be completed over the next year, Deputy High Bailiff Rachael Braidwood said the punishment ‘should not be an easy task’.
Ordering her to pay £125 in prosecution costs she added: “It does appear that these offences are out of character.”
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