Council wins landmark multiple charge benefits fraud case

Croydon Council has won a landmark decision at the Court of Appeal which clears the way for local authorities to continue to bring multiple charges against alleged benefit fraudsters.

The appeal was brought after the council's audit and anti-fraud lost a case against a woman who was accused of claiming more than £9,000 of benefits she was not entitled to.

In the original trial at Croydon Crown Court, the woman's solicitor said that two of the three charges against his client should be dropped.

He successfully argued that charges of falsely obtaining working families tax credit and failure to notify the authorities of an increase in child tax credit were unnecessary and that an initial charge that Ms Shanahan failed to declare she had got a job was sufficient. The judge presiding over the trial in September 2009 agreed and Ms Shanahan was later found not guilty of the remaining single charge.

Croydon Council launched a legal challenge to the decision to drop the first two charges, saying it was concerned that subsequent prosecutions with multiple charges might fail because of the judge's decision.

The council said in a statement: “The successful appeal now means that it will be more difficult for defence teams to get charges against their clients withdrawn in court hearings. It will also give protection to organisations like other councils and reaffirms that all changes in circumstances for people claiming benefits must be reported to the authorities.”