Benefits Fraud Uncovered Through Gym Attendance
A woman who claimed thousands of pounds in benefits by stating that arthritis confined her to crutches and made it difficult to leave her home has been sentenced to prison after CCTV footage showed her participating in gym classes.
Helen Green, 49, from Shrewsbury, was also involved in a running club and completed a 10km run in just over an hour.
Court Details and Medical Claims
Green informed the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) that she suffered from severe rheumatoid arthritis affecting every joint and a slipped disc in her back, which rendered her housebound, as heard at Shrewsbury Crown Court.
Following a tip-off, the DWP conducted an investigation and found that Green regularly attended various gym classes, including Zumba, core blast, and spin.
Legal Outcome and Financial Details
Green was sentenced to seven months in jail. The DWP initially accused her of falsely claiming £42,013 in Personal Independence Payment (PIP), but she pleaded guilty to a reduced amount of £25,244.
She had claimed that her arthritis was a lifelong condition expected to worsen progressively and that she could not walk for more than five minutes without crutches.
Additionally, Green stated she required assistance with washing, bathing, dressing, preparing meals, and eating and drinking.
Prosecution Statement
Mandy Tobias, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "Helen Green pretended she had limited movement, but instead was a regular runner and active in gym classes. She did this for her own greed and lined her pockets with fraudulently obtained money."
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