Two people were convicted at Downpatrick Magistrates’ Court today for claiming benefits they were not entitled to.
Kathleen Ward (28) of Mill Hill, Castlewellan, was given an 18 month probation order and ordered to pay court costs of £19 for duplicate encashment of a Social Fund cheque totalling £182, during September 2006.
James McCoey (47) of Bannonstown Road, Ballymaginthy, claimed Jobseeker’s Allowance totalling £1,586 while failing to declare he was working full time, during August 2005 to January 2006. Mr McCoey was fined £200 on the first charge and given a two year conditional discharge on each of the other two charges.
Both are also required to repay the money wrongfully obtained to the Social Security Agency.
This brings to 300 the total number of successful prosecutions this year.
