0:00:02 > 0:00:04Think about it, what would you do if you had a bad run of luck?
0:00:04 > 0:00:08The chances are that you'd end up turning to government agencies
0:00:08 > 0:00:10for a bit of help.
0:00:10 > 0:00:12I think we're very lucky to have a welfare state
0:00:12 > 0:00:15and I think a lot of people don't appreciate it.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18My husband is disabled. Without the benefits system
0:00:18 > 0:00:20we would have found things very difficult.
0:00:20 > 0:00:24Here in the UK millions of us need to ask for help every year
0:00:24 > 0:00:28in the form of benefits, Legal Aid and health care.
0:00:28 > 0:00:31But there are some people who are out there to cheat the system
0:00:31 > 0:00:34out of as much as they can.
0:00:34 > 0:00:39Benefit cheats are criminals and they should be treated accordingly.
0:00:39 > 0:00:42How are these people managing to get away with this?
0:00:42 > 0:00:45But those people who are trying to get rich from the public purse
0:00:45 > 0:00:49are now being sniffed out by investigators, who want to make
0:00:49 > 0:00:53sure that as much money as possible is available to those who need it.
0:00:53 > 0:00:57This is the world of Saints and Scroungers.
0:01:00 > 0:01:04Coming up, the scroungers who are out to beat the system.
0:01:04 > 0:01:08A woman who claimed thousands of pounds of benefits over
0:01:08 > 0:01:11nine years, claiming she was a single parent who needed help.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14The police and benefit officers attended this address.
0:01:14 > 0:01:18The door was answered by the alleged partner in his pyjamas.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21A scrounger whose council property was making her a mint,
0:01:21 > 0:01:24but who ended up paying the price.
0:01:24 > 0:01:28We received an anonymous call by the council's fraud hotline alleging
0:01:28 > 0:01:32that Miss Goatley wasn't actually living at her council property.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35And those who rightly deserve a helping hand.
0:01:35 > 0:01:36A man struck down
0:01:36 > 0:01:39with a debilitating and inexplicable illness
0:01:39 > 0:01:42discovers his life is about to change for ever.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45As I walked in he looked really startled,
0:01:45 > 0:01:48as though a stranger had just walked into the house.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51That really was quite a scary moment.
0:01:54 > 0:01:59Being a parent can be tough, even when there's two of you.
0:01:59 > 0:02:01But if one partner walks out
0:02:01 > 0:02:05and there's still a mortgage to pay, well, then it can be too much.
0:02:08 > 0:02:12Meet mother of three, Jacqueline Fox.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15In 2003 her partner left her.
0:02:15 > 0:02:17She began claiming benefits to keep a roof over her
0:02:17 > 0:02:19and her family's head.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22It was much-needed help, especially as she had a mortgage to pay.
0:02:22 > 0:02:26Jacqueline lived in Worthing, a large seaside town
0:02:26 > 0:02:30on the south coast. Popular with families and the retired,
0:02:30 > 0:02:33this six-mile-square corner of the country is home
0:02:33 > 0:02:38to around 100,000 people, 10,000 of whom are claiming housing benefit.
0:02:38 > 0:02:43Terry Cutler is a finance manager at Worthing Borough Council.
0:02:43 > 0:02:48Certainly 95% of claims are genuine.
0:02:48 > 0:02:49We never have a problem with them.
0:02:49 > 0:02:53People are honest. Benefits are aimed at the people who are deserving.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56They are for people who have fallen on hard times
0:02:56 > 0:03:00for one reason or another and genuinely need the help.
0:03:00 > 0:03:07There's about £250,000 worth of overpayments every year due to fraud.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10However, we do recover that money.
0:03:10 > 0:03:14So when you say there is a cost, there isn't one,
0:03:14 > 0:03:15because we get the money back.
0:03:15 > 0:03:19Jacqueline appeared to be a deserving case for support,
0:03:19 > 0:03:24but information in 2010 suggested that her relationship
0:03:24 > 0:03:28with her partner wasn't quite as rocky as she'd made out.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31Her case landed on the desk of fraud investigator Dave Barrow.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37Jacqueline Fox, as a single mother,
0:03:37 > 0:03:42is entitled on paper to income support, council tax benefit
0:03:42 > 0:03:48as a homeowner and also for the DWP to pay her mortgage interest.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50She could be made homeless
0:03:50 > 0:03:53if her mortgage interest repayments weren't kept up and therefore,
0:03:53 > 0:03:56as an income support claimant, she's entitled to help.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59Homeowners whose circumstances change,
0:03:59 > 0:04:03putting their properties at risk, are able to apply to
0:04:03 > 0:04:06the Department Of Work And Pensions safety net for help.
0:04:06 > 0:04:10But information passed to Worthing Council in 2010 cast doubt
0:04:10 > 0:04:13over Jacqueline Fox's claims.
0:04:15 > 0:04:19The investigation started as a result of an anonymous tip-off
0:04:19 > 0:04:21that her partner had returned to live at her address.
0:04:21 > 0:04:25That's an issue because obviously as a single mother, she is
0:04:25 > 0:04:32claiming benefits, not declaring a partner who is possibly working.
0:04:32 > 0:04:36If the tip-off held any weight it was unlikely Jacqueline would
0:04:36 > 0:04:39have been eligible to claim benefits from Worthing Council
0:04:39 > 0:04:42or the Department For Work And Pensions.
0:04:42 > 0:04:44Dave immediately dug out her file
0:04:44 > 0:04:49and went back over her claims forms dating back to 2003.
0:04:49 > 0:04:51She is accepting that she is giving the full,
0:04:51 > 0:04:54true and complete information on the form and she's also agreeing to
0:04:54 > 0:04:59notify any change of circumstance, such as a partner moving in.
0:04:59 > 0:05:02On page five she's declared the three children...
0:05:04 > 0:05:07On page six, which is her opportunity to declare any other
0:05:07 > 0:05:11adult living in the house, she's ticked no and left the page blank.
0:05:12 > 0:05:16If all the statements she made were correct, then she'd be entitled to
0:05:16 > 0:05:19all her benefits, to help her along a bit until she found her feet.
0:05:19 > 0:05:23It's vital that people report any change of circumstance to us.
0:05:23 > 0:05:27If their circumstances had got worse or they had got better
0:05:27 > 0:05:32and they are getting more income, then they could be accruing
0:05:32 > 0:05:35a large overpayment which they might have difficulty paying back.
0:05:35 > 0:05:39Her claim for benefit is based on the fact that she's declaring
0:05:39 > 0:05:44she is a lone mother with three children and with a very low income.
0:05:44 > 0:05:48And obviously if the evidence proved that there is a working partner
0:05:48 > 0:05:52living there, then obviously her benefit claim
0:05:52 > 0:05:55alters in its ingredients completely.
0:05:57 > 0:06:01Since her claims began, she'd received over £60,000
0:06:01 > 0:06:06in income support and around £7,000 in council tax benefit.
0:06:06 > 0:06:10But Jacqueline Fox's benefit claims were at complete odds
0:06:10 > 0:06:13with the information gathered from the anonymous tip-off.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18It's at times like this that investigators need to
0:06:18 > 0:06:20get to the heart of the matter.
0:06:20 > 0:06:24One of the tools they can use is of course surveillance,
0:06:24 > 0:06:26but it's time-consuming.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29Sometimes it's quicker and easier to take a journey
0:06:29 > 0:06:32through someone's finances and credit history.
0:06:32 > 0:06:36And with close to £67,000 at stake,
0:06:36 > 0:06:39Worthing Council got straight on to the case.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42The first thing we did to start the investigation was to conduct
0:06:42 > 0:06:47a credit search, which revealed that Mrs Fox had taken out a loan
0:06:47 > 0:06:49and had an undeclared bank account.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52Now, Jacqueline could just be saving a small amount of money for a
0:06:52 > 0:06:56rainy day and the loan could also potentially be explained, but the
0:06:56 > 0:07:00fact that she hadn't declared them rang alarm bells with the council.
0:07:00 > 0:07:02Dave was like a dog with a bone
0:07:02 > 0:07:05and dug deeper into Jacqueline's finances.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08Closer examination of the bank account showed that there were
0:07:08 > 0:07:13a series of credits over a period of time for three separate employments.
0:07:14 > 0:07:18So there was now the possibility that this supposedly single,
0:07:18 > 0:07:21unemployed mother of three was working.
0:07:21 > 0:07:25If true, it was yet another thing she'd neglected to tell the council.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28The credits that were coming into her account were not
0:07:28 > 0:07:30small change either.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33She was bringing in a very healthy £600 a week.
0:07:33 > 0:07:37The team needed to find out who was paying Jacqueline.
0:07:37 > 0:07:41We contacted the company that was paying the current credit,
0:07:41 > 0:07:45which is a roofing company, who were able to confirm that Mrs Fox
0:07:45 > 0:07:50was not their employee, but their employee was the alleged partner.
0:07:53 > 0:07:57So, Ms Fox and her partner's relationship is over,
0:07:57 > 0:07:59it's history.
0:07:59 > 0:08:04He's moved out and left her and the kids to fend for themselves.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08And yet he's still paying his wages into her bank account.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11It sounds like a very amicable break-up!
0:08:12 > 0:08:15Either her so-called partner was extremely generous
0:08:15 > 0:08:17or the tip-off was beginning to ring true.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20Next on the fraud team's list was to find out more about the loan
0:08:20 > 0:08:23that Jacqueline Fox had taken out.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26They were hoping it would shed more light into her finances
0:08:26 > 0:08:30and, even better, link her alleged partner to her address.
0:08:33 > 0:08:37The loan was for a small works-type vehicle
0:08:37 > 0:08:43which had been registered in her partner's name at her address.
0:08:43 > 0:08:47It links the partner to her address, and the fact that she had
0:08:47 > 0:08:51taken out the loan in her name, but it's his vehicle.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55DVLA records are just one of the many databases
0:08:55 > 0:09:00fraud investigators can access, so now Dave had established that
0:09:00 > 0:09:03Jacqueline's alleged partner has a car registered at her address.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06A car that she bought.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09This was either the most harmonious break-up of all time
0:09:09 > 0:09:11or there was some serious deception going on.
0:09:11 > 0:09:15We'll find out later if the council had enough to prove that she
0:09:15 > 0:09:18was living with her so-called ex.
0:09:18 > 0:09:20If the tip-off was proved to be correct,
0:09:20 > 0:09:23then Mrs Fox could face prosecution.
0:09:28 > 0:09:32For now, though, it's farewell to the scroungers trying to fleece
0:09:32 > 0:09:35the system and let's say hello to those we call our saints,
0:09:35 > 0:09:38people who do everything to make sure that those in need
0:09:38 > 0:09:42of help who are too proud or simply don't know how to help themselves,
0:09:42 > 0:09:44get what they deserve.
0:09:49 > 0:09:53Living with a disability can present many challenges,
0:09:53 > 0:09:57but you would hope that once it's clear what you're dealing with,
0:09:57 > 0:10:00people should recognise that and give you a break.
0:10:00 > 0:10:01Some conditions, however,
0:10:01 > 0:10:06don't conform to people's idea of what a disability is
0:10:06 > 0:10:10or how it should behave, and that can make life very tough.
0:10:11 > 0:10:16In 2008, father of two Paul Kay realised that the headaches
0:10:16 > 0:10:21he has always suffered from were taking a much more sinister turn.
0:10:21 > 0:10:26My migraines are something I've dealt with since I was a teenage lad.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29I've always been able to self-medicate it
0:10:29 > 0:10:33and bring it down to a level where I could work.
0:10:33 > 0:10:37I felt such immense pain on the opposite side
0:10:37 > 0:10:42of my head that the migraines are, and...
0:10:42 > 0:10:44I started forgetting things.
0:10:44 > 0:10:48Before he started losing his memory, Paul had been self-employed
0:10:48 > 0:10:52for many years as a traffic safety control officer, and was
0:10:52 > 0:10:57responsible for implementing safety measures for over 150 road workers.
0:10:57 > 0:11:01His steady income meant that he could afford to take his long-term
0:11:01 > 0:11:04partner Denise and their two children on holiday
0:11:04 > 0:11:07several times a year, something they all enjoyed.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10But as his migraines and memory loss developed,
0:11:10 > 0:11:14he was finding it harder and harder to continue working.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17When my illness started with me...
0:11:17 > 0:11:20I couldn't keep MYSELF safe.
0:11:22 > 0:11:26That is one of the fundamental parts of safety,
0:11:26 > 0:11:29who are you responsible for, safety-wise?
0:11:30 > 0:11:35You're responsible for yourself first and foremost.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38If I can't make sure I'M safe,
0:11:38 > 0:11:43how do I make sure everybody else is safe?
0:11:43 > 0:11:46When the severe pain and memory loss started,
0:11:46 > 0:11:50he was in the middle of a contract working on the M1 motorway.
0:11:50 > 0:11:52His bouts of memory loss
0:11:52 > 0:11:56and debilitating migraines were having a direct impact on his job.
0:11:56 > 0:12:00These developments came as a complete shock
0:12:00 > 0:12:01both to Paul and to Denise.
0:12:01 > 0:12:05When Paul was in that kind of situation, because he just...
0:12:05 > 0:12:10"I can't drive today." And Paul will always drive.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13Over the following months, Paul continued to work,
0:12:13 > 0:12:17but things were about to get much worse.
0:12:17 > 0:12:21I'd been at work all day and I came home
0:12:21 > 0:12:26and Paul was sat on the settee and he just kind of...
0:12:26 > 0:12:29As I walked in, he looked really startled,
0:12:29 > 0:12:32as though a stranger had just walked into the house.
0:12:32 > 0:12:36It was all very quick, but there was just that moment
0:12:36 > 0:12:40where he really didn't know who I was walking into our own home.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43So that...that was really quite a scary moment.
0:12:43 > 0:12:45It was a very upsetting moment
0:12:45 > 0:12:48because it was when I kind of realised
0:12:48 > 0:12:50how bad things were for him.
0:12:52 > 0:12:57I started asking myself... "What's wrong?"
0:12:57 > 0:13:02The mystery illness had pulled the rug from under Paul's feet.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05I've come to Chesterfield to hear more about the impact it was
0:13:05 > 0:13:08having on his day-to-day life.
0:13:08 > 0:13:10So you were feeling huge frustration.
0:13:10 > 0:13:14My migraines would... would basically...
0:13:14 > 0:13:17I could manage it and I could still work.
0:13:17 > 0:13:24The pains in my right...on my left side actually put me laid down.
0:13:24 > 0:13:30I couldn't physically...get up to go to work. I literally couldn't move.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33The pain was so immense.
0:13:33 > 0:13:38But it wasn't just the pain and the memory loss they had to cope with.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41The boys were noticing a difference in Paul.
0:13:41 > 0:13:47They were noticing that he was far...less with it, you know.
0:13:47 > 0:13:51Sometimes when they were asking him things Paul was quite vacant
0:13:51 > 0:13:56and vague in his answering of their questions.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59And things soon went from bad to worse.
0:13:59 > 0:14:04There was more kind of aggression, as well, you know.
0:14:04 > 0:14:08Not towards us, but out of frustration.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11It was quite scary for Paul, I'm sure.
0:14:11 > 0:14:13But it was also quite scary for us
0:14:13 > 0:14:16because we didn't know what was going on at all.
0:14:16 > 0:14:20Paul struggled to get to the end of the M1 contract
0:14:20 > 0:14:21and it was clear both to him
0:14:21 > 0:14:25and Denise that taking the next job was out of the question.
0:14:25 > 0:14:29It was high time they got to the bottom of what was wrong with Paul.
0:14:29 > 0:14:37When we first went to the doctor's, he ordered an MRI scan and a CT scan.
0:14:37 > 0:14:42When them scans come back, it showed nothing.
0:14:42 > 0:14:48I said to him, "Do you know what's wrong with my head?"
0:14:48 > 0:14:53"No. We may never know. We can only...sort the pain."
0:14:53 > 0:14:57Paul continued to suffer excruciating physical pain
0:14:57 > 0:15:00and bouts of complete memory loss.
0:15:00 > 0:15:04He couldn't work and was becoming increasingly withdrawn.
0:15:04 > 0:15:11During that time... I...I felt very, very ashamed.
0:15:11 > 0:15:16I felt embarrassed because I couldn't explain to people what it was.
0:15:18 > 0:15:22I felt...I felt a failure because I couldn't work.
0:15:22 > 0:15:26Denise was working as a part-time hypnotherapist.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29With just her salary coming in, the financial situation
0:15:29 > 0:15:31was becoming a major worry.
0:15:31 > 0:15:33How were things looking financially?
0:15:34 > 0:15:37Very, very...bleak.
0:15:37 > 0:15:42And we were basically fighting to keep our heads above water
0:15:42 > 0:15:45and trying to get our way through,
0:15:45 > 0:15:49hoping that I'm going to be at a point where I can go back to work.
0:15:50 > 0:15:54I class myself as an old-style gentleman. I provide for my family.
0:15:54 > 0:15:58I try to give my children better than what I got.
0:15:58 > 0:16:02Work isn't realistic for you now.
0:16:02 > 0:16:05- Certainly not doing the kind of work you were doing before.- No.
0:16:05 > 0:16:08I was always looking backwards. How do I get back to work?
0:16:08 > 0:16:10How do I get BACK to normal?
0:16:10 > 0:16:15How do I get BACK to providing for my wife and kids?
0:16:15 > 0:16:19How do you... How do you move forward when you're looking back?
0:16:19 > 0:16:22What was your attitude to benefits before this happened to you?
0:16:23 > 0:16:29It's... It is only my opinion and nobody else's, I always felt that...
0:16:29 > 0:16:35if you had to claim something back you were a bit of a failure.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38Did you ever consider people that were in situations
0:16:38 > 0:16:41that were outside their control?
0:16:41 > 0:16:47Honestly, no. I didn't put it in that perspective as such.
0:16:47 > 0:16:53I realised that I'd got no option other than going down that road,
0:16:53 > 0:16:59because I was...I'd got the doctors giving me a sick note.
0:16:59 > 0:17:03We must have gone about four months of nothing, me trying to get
0:17:03 > 0:17:06back to it, that...
0:17:06 > 0:17:10I was admitting failure by having to go there.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13After eight long months, Paul had to forget about his pride
0:17:13 > 0:17:15and admit he needed help.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18He started to claim what he was rightfully entitled to -
0:17:18 > 0:17:20employment and support allowance.
0:17:20 > 0:17:24I think that was one of the things that really kind of brought him
0:17:24 > 0:17:29down even more, because he has always been proud
0:17:29 > 0:17:34of the fact that he worked and he's not claimed.
0:17:34 > 0:17:38He's never sort of given in at all to any illness.
0:17:38 > 0:17:40He's just gone through it before.
0:17:40 > 0:17:44And this was something completely new to him.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47Even though the benefits were helping with the immediate
0:17:47 > 0:17:50financial need, it never seemed enough.
0:17:50 > 0:17:52The household finances were looking bleak and,
0:17:52 > 0:17:56over the next two years, Paul started to show signs of depression.
0:17:58 > 0:18:03We'll see later how a new member of the family changed everything.
0:18:04 > 0:18:07His mood lifted. It lifted no end.
0:18:07 > 0:18:09You could see it in his face, definitely,
0:18:09 > 0:18:13he was a happier person to be around, completely.
0:18:17 > 0:18:21Now, from those in need of help to those who abuse the very same
0:18:21 > 0:18:24system to take money they are not entitled to.
0:18:24 > 0:18:28We all want to see fraudsters get their comeuppance, but while
0:18:28 > 0:18:31a prison sentence sends a very strong message,
0:18:31 > 0:18:33if they've made money from what they've done,
0:18:33 > 0:18:37well, it doesn't seem fair that they should keep it.
0:18:37 > 0:18:41That's when the Proceeds Of Crime Act comes into play.
0:18:41 > 0:18:46The Proceeds Of Crime Act 2002 was brought into play particularly
0:18:46 > 0:18:49to deprive criminals of the assets that they have
0:18:49 > 0:18:51gained as a result of their offending behaviour -
0:18:51 > 0:18:56such as houses, property, land, vehicles, jewellery, money -
0:18:56 > 0:18:59away from people who have committed offences.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02We're going to take a look at how the fraud investigators
0:19:02 > 0:19:05have been working hard to take back the money these criminals
0:19:05 > 0:19:07have stolen from you and me, the taxpayer.
0:19:09 > 0:19:11Meet Kelly Goatley.
0:19:11 > 0:19:14She first approached the council back in 2000,
0:19:14 > 0:19:19stating she was pregnant, homeless and in need of a council property.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22The council considered her application and because of her age -
0:19:22 > 0:19:26she was only 18 at the time - and the pregnancy,
0:19:26 > 0:19:29she was considered to be in high priority need to be housed.
0:19:29 > 0:19:33The council granted her social housing, a one-bed
0:19:33 > 0:19:36Georgian terrace in a rather desirable part of west London,
0:19:36 > 0:19:39at a rent of just £440 per month.
0:19:39 > 0:19:43But 11 years later, some worrying information came to light.
0:19:43 > 0:19:47John Noble, of Westminster Council, was on her tail.
0:19:47 > 0:19:49At the end of January 2011,
0:19:49 > 0:19:53we received an anonymous call via the council's fraud hotline,
0:19:53 > 0:19:55alleging that Miss Goatley
0:19:55 > 0:19:58wasn't actually living at her council property.
0:19:58 > 0:20:02On the basis of the allegation, I carried out some background checks.
0:20:02 > 0:20:06To all intents and purposes it looked as though Kelly was still there.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09There was no information that she'd moved elsewhere.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12Nothing to say that she'd told the council she'd moved out.
0:20:12 > 0:20:16Nothing to say that she'd sought permission to have lodgers
0:20:16 > 0:20:17or subtenants in the property.
0:20:19 > 0:20:23But John needed to find out if this anonymous tip-off held any weight,
0:20:23 > 0:20:27so he paid Miss Goatley a visit.
0:20:27 > 0:20:28In early February 2011,
0:20:28 > 0:20:30myself and a colleague actually visited
0:20:30 > 0:20:33the property in Gloucester Terrace, knocked on the door
0:20:33 > 0:20:36and we were admitted into the property by a young Spanish couple.
0:20:36 > 0:20:38They told us that they were
0:20:38 > 0:20:40renting the property from a landlady named Kelly Goatley,
0:20:40 > 0:20:44and they actually showed us a copy of a tenancy agreement.
0:20:44 > 0:20:47As far as they were concerned, they were paying the full market rate
0:20:47 > 0:20:50for the property, and they were renting from a genuine landlord.
0:20:50 > 0:20:54They were doing nothing wrong. They were just innocent victims here.
0:20:54 > 0:20:57It turned out that Kelly had been letting out the property
0:20:57 > 0:21:01over the years for between £1,200 and £1,400 a month.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05John and his team got straight into action.
0:21:05 > 0:21:10We instructed the estate office to commence civil recovery action
0:21:10 > 0:21:14to get the property back, to formally evict Miss Goatley so that
0:21:14 > 0:21:17the property could be reallocated to someone in genuine need.
0:21:17 > 0:21:20It was time for Kelly to do some explaining,
0:21:20 > 0:21:24so John got her in for an interview under caution.
0:21:24 > 0:21:26Miss Goatley denied that she had sublet the property
0:21:26 > 0:21:29purely for profit or personal gain.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32She denied that she'd been living at an alternative address
0:21:32 > 0:21:34throughout the entire period.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37Following the interview with Miss Goatley, a review of the further
0:21:37 > 0:21:41evidence that she had provided to support her claim, it was decided
0:21:41 > 0:21:45that we had enough evidence to take the matter forward to prosecute.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48So I put together a prosecution file.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51Despite her protestations of innocence,
0:21:51 > 0:21:55John and his team had enough hard evidence to take Goatley to court.
0:21:55 > 0:21:59And by the time the date came round, she had decided to come clean.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01Miss Goatley was summonsed to court
0:22:01 > 0:22:03and entered guilty pleas for both offences.
0:22:03 > 0:22:07In July 2012, she was sentenced to nine months in prison
0:22:07 > 0:22:09for each offence, suspended for two years.
0:22:09 > 0:22:13She was also ordered to carry out 140 hours of unpaid community work
0:22:13 > 0:22:20as well as being handed a curfew between 10pm and 7am for two months.
0:22:20 > 0:22:24She was also ordered to pay £2,000 towards prosecution costs.
0:22:26 > 0:22:29It was a great result for Westminster Council,
0:22:29 > 0:22:32but the investigations team weren't about to stop there.
0:22:32 > 0:22:36What about the profit she'd made over the last 11 years?
0:22:36 > 0:22:40She had paid the council £440 a month for the flat,
0:22:40 > 0:22:43but she'd rented it out for up to £1,400.
0:22:43 > 0:22:47That was a cool profit of £960 a month.
0:22:50 > 0:22:54The Proceeds Of Crime Act provides that fraud investigators
0:22:54 > 0:22:56can seek to recover all profits from criminal activity,
0:22:56 > 0:23:00and the team at Westminster wanted what was rightfully theirs.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05On the same day as the sentencing, the council applied for
0:23:05 > 0:23:09a confiscation order to seek to recover as much as possible of the money that
0:23:09 > 0:23:13Miss Goatley had fraudulently obtained through subletting her property.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16Kelly was ordered to declare all of her assets,
0:23:16 > 0:23:19and it was up to John to work out just how much she'd swindled.
0:23:19 > 0:23:26Where possible, we'd always seek to recover the value of the fraud,
0:23:26 > 0:23:28so we'd try to identify any assets,
0:23:28 > 0:23:32whether that's undeclared savings, undeclared bank accounts,
0:23:32 > 0:23:37other assets that could be sold to pay the council back the loss.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41The team started digging around in her bank accounts,
0:23:41 > 0:23:45trying to find evidence of any assets, but getting Kelly
0:23:45 > 0:23:48to declare everything and cough up wasn't going to be easy.
0:23:50 > 0:23:52During the course of the investigation,
0:23:52 > 0:23:55I had become aware that Miss Goatley had a bank account that she
0:23:55 > 0:23:58hadn't declared, so I focused my attention on trying to determine
0:23:58 > 0:24:01whether there was money in that account that we could seize.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04Just days before Miss Goatley's first court appearance,
0:24:04 > 0:24:08approximately £11,000 had been withdrawn from that account.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11Clearly this indicated that Miss Goatley may well have been
0:24:11 > 0:24:15attempting to hide proceeds of her criminal activity.
0:24:17 > 0:24:21Not only had Kelly illegally made huge profits over the years, she was
0:24:21 > 0:24:25now trying to hide her cash to avoid paying back a single penny of it.
0:24:25 > 0:24:29And she wasn't doing herself any favours with the fraud team.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32With a lack of any assets or proof of cash anywhere,
0:24:32 > 0:24:36John had to claim for the cash he knew had been
0:24:36 > 0:24:39in her undeclared bank account just days before sentencing.
0:24:39 > 0:24:43The judge ordered that Miss Goatley should repay the council
0:24:43 > 0:24:46under a compensation order a total of £10,774.
0:24:48 > 0:24:50Currently, Miss Goatley hasn't paid a penny
0:24:50 > 0:24:53towards this confiscation order.
0:24:53 > 0:24:58If she fails to do so, and fails to pay it in full by 30 September 2013,
0:24:58 > 0:25:01she will face six months in prison
0:25:01 > 0:25:05and still be liable to pay the full amount of the confiscation order.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10At the end of the day, Westminster will not tolerate the illegal
0:25:10 > 0:25:12subletting of council properties,
0:25:12 > 0:25:15particularly by those individuals looking to make a quick profit
0:25:15 > 0:25:18at the expense of those in genuine need of social housing.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21So, Miss Goatley faces some stark choices.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24Maybe she'll do the right thing and pay up.
0:25:36 > 0:25:40It's time to leave the deceitful world of fakes and frauds,
0:25:40 > 0:25:43and turn our attention to people that need the welfare state.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48Paul Kay lost his job and his confidence
0:25:48 > 0:25:51when he suddenly developed severe headaches and memory loss.
0:25:51 > 0:25:53His condition remained undiagnosed,
0:25:53 > 0:25:56and his prospect of finding work again was looking slim.
0:25:58 > 0:26:03I'm very, very frustrated, because I want to know what's wrong with me.
0:26:03 > 0:26:07I want to know what's been hurting me for three and a half years.
0:26:08 > 0:26:11Paul had been forced to leave work, and reluctantly claim
0:26:11 > 0:26:15employment and support allowance to help pay the bills.
0:26:15 > 0:26:17Paul was starting to show signs of depression,
0:26:17 > 0:26:21and his long-term partner Denise was desperate for ideas that might
0:26:21 > 0:26:23improve a very difficult situation.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28With Paul being so poorly,
0:26:28 > 0:26:32I just suggested that we think about getting a puppy.
0:26:32 > 0:26:36We had always said we would like a dog at some stage,
0:26:36 > 0:26:43but when Paul was working, we felt that it wasn't fair to have
0:26:43 > 0:26:46a dog if it was going to be left alone a lot.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51Paul's lifelong love of dogs had triggered the idea to get
0:26:51 > 0:26:55an addition to the household, a springer spaniel pup.
0:26:55 > 0:27:00So, Denise, out of the blue into your lives drops Woody.
0:27:00 > 0:27:05And what effect does that springer spaniel have on Paul?
0:27:05 > 0:27:07It brought this interest back.
0:27:07 > 0:27:10It brought a bit of spark back to his personality.
0:27:10 > 0:27:15He went from being very down in the dumps to having a purpose again.
0:27:15 > 0:27:19He was teaching his dog, our dog, how to be an obedient
0:27:19 > 0:27:23and loving family pet.
0:27:23 > 0:27:27And he really did kind of work out a kind of programme, if you like, of
0:27:27 > 0:27:32how he was going to train Woody, and that was quite impressive, as well.
0:27:32 > 0:27:34I love training dogs. I've had dogs all my life.
0:27:34 > 0:27:41Each day gave me a new challenge to deal with Woody.
0:27:43 > 0:27:47And I thoroughly threw myself into them challenges.
0:27:47 > 0:27:50Woody, look at me.
0:27:52 > 0:27:55Paul was still frustrated he was not able to work
0:27:55 > 0:27:58and was forced to claim benefits, but Woody was suddenly bringing
0:27:58 > 0:28:02an overwhelming degree of structure and positivity into his life.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05He'd always had a passion for dogs,
0:28:05 > 0:28:08and his father had taught him how to train them when he was younger.
0:28:08 > 0:28:09This gave Denise an idea.
0:28:11 > 0:28:16So when did this start turning into an idea for a new direction,
0:28:16 > 0:28:18a new career for Paul?
0:28:18 > 0:28:25Sometimes I would take Woody to the local park, and often if we were out
0:28:25 > 0:28:31in the park, people would comment to me on how well-behaved he was.
0:28:31 > 0:28:33Because he was still quite a young pup.
0:28:33 > 0:28:36People would say, "Oh, he's so good."
0:28:36 > 0:28:39And I would say, "I can't take credit for it.
0:28:39 > 0:28:44"It's not me, it's Paul." And then it sort of began to take over
0:28:44 > 0:28:47a little bit in my head about the fact that,
0:28:47 > 0:28:50if he can do so well with our dog, perhaps that's
0:28:50 > 0:28:54something that he could get into and earn a bit of money from.
0:28:56 > 0:28:58On their next routine trip to the job centre,
0:28:58 > 0:29:01Paul and Denise mentioned it to the adviser,
0:29:01 > 0:29:03who thought it sounded like a great idea.
0:29:05 > 0:29:08The couple were put in touch with an organisation called
0:29:08 > 0:29:13Disability Dynamics, who specialise in offering support for disabled
0:29:13 > 0:29:17and disadvantaged people through business start-up programmes.
0:29:17 > 0:29:21Paul was assigned business adviser Nicky Tomlinson-Murphy.
0:29:21 > 0:29:25When I first met Paul, he was really low, really down.
0:29:25 > 0:29:29A guy who'd always worked, always had a really good job,
0:29:29 > 0:29:32and now he was in a situation where he was at home and not being
0:29:32 > 0:29:36able to support that family, which is a huge thing, absolutely huge.
0:29:36 > 0:29:39And it was just, you know, let's have a look at what we can do and
0:29:39 > 0:29:45start and build his confidence again, because he thought he was worthless.
0:29:45 > 0:29:51I'm sure he thought, "I don't want to be like this, but what can I do?"
0:29:51 > 0:29:54Nicky specialises in helping disadvantaged people
0:29:54 > 0:29:56set up their own businesses.
0:29:56 > 0:29:58And with her knowledge and support, there was
0:29:58 > 0:30:01a real possibility that Paul's business plan
0:30:01 > 0:30:03could become a reality.
0:30:03 > 0:30:06I thought Paul would be successful with his business idea
0:30:06 > 0:30:10because of his passion that he had, um, for the dog training.
0:30:10 > 0:30:12Um, and as... You know,
0:30:12 > 0:30:15it is something that he's already been involved in,
0:30:15 > 0:30:17from being a young boy.
0:30:17 > 0:30:19At the end of the day, he had all the knowledge
0:30:19 > 0:30:24and he just needed that support and someone to give him the confidence
0:30:24 > 0:30:26to help him move it forward.
0:30:26 > 0:30:31Helping Paul was made easier for me, from the perspective that we share
0:30:31 > 0:30:33'a passion for animals.'
0:30:33 > 0:30:34Sit down then. Sit down. Great.
0:30:34 > 0:30:36Sit down. Sit.
0:30:38 > 0:30:41Mine are not as well-behaved as Paul's.
0:30:41 > 0:30:43Hey, good fella.
0:30:43 > 0:30:46Because I'd been out of self-employment
0:30:46 > 0:30:49for 3½ years,
0:30:49 > 0:30:53Nicky explained to me the other things that I needed to do.
0:30:53 > 0:30:55And one of the first things she tackled was getting
0:30:55 > 0:30:58Paul off employment and support allowance,
0:30:58 > 0:31:01something HE was determined not to claim.
0:31:01 > 0:31:04In Paul's situation, we were able to help him
0:31:04 > 0:31:07compile his business plan for the forthcoming year,
0:31:07 > 0:31:09which enabled him to apply for
0:31:09 > 0:31:12a return to work credit with the Jobcentre.
0:31:12 > 0:31:17Not only that, Nicky secured him a £2,000 grant,
0:31:17 > 0:31:20a much-needed cash injection that Paul could spend on
0:31:20 > 0:31:24equipment he needed to start up his new dog-training enterprise.
0:31:24 > 0:31:29In conjunction to the return to work credit,
0:31:29 > 0:31:33I was also able to put him in touch with a local organisation that,
0:31:33 > 0:31:37at that time, was providing grant money to help start-up businesses.
0:31:37 > 0:31:40And that helped him get some equipment
0:31:40 > 0:31:43and get his marketing materials printed up.
0:31:43 > 0:31:46Did you start to see a change in him?
0:31:46 > 0:31:48Once he started to focus on
0:31:48 > 0:31:51the possibility of getting his own business going -
0:31:51 > 0:31:54dog training - his mood lifted. It lifted no end.
0:31:54 > 0:31:58He was much more pleasant to be around again.
0:32:00 > 0:32:01In June 2012,
0:32:01 > 0:32:05with some help from Nicky, Paul was able to follow his dream.
0:32:05 > 0:32:08Four years after he'd been forced to stop work,
0:32:08 > 0:32:11he opened up his own business - Chesterfield Dog Training.
0:32:13 > 0:32:15From the first time that I saw Paul -
0:32:15 > 0:32:19as I mentioned, he was head in his hands -
0:32:19 > 0:32:21always used to meet me...
0:32:21 > 0:32:23when I went to see him, it was always Paul and Denise.
0:32:23 > 0:32:25Um, but now,
0:32:25 > 0:32:27you know, I'll ring up and say,
0:32:27 > 0:32:29"Right, Paul, we need to have a catch-up."
0:32:29 > 0:32:30"Yeah, when are you coming, Nicky?
0:32:30 > 0:32:32"I'll get the kettle on. Me and Woody'll be here."
0:32:32 > 0:32:35Um, and it's just Paul now, you know?
0:32:35 > 0:32:39So, right from the beginning, it was always Paul and Denise,
0:32:39 > 0:32:41whereas now, he's got his confidence
0:32:41 > 0:32:44and it's just the two of us now in a meeting.
0:32:44 > 0:32:47And just to see him... Oh, he's such a changed person.
0:32:47 > 0:32:51He really is a changed person and he's full of enthusiasm.
0:32:51 > 0:32:54And that's great to see. It's fantastic to see.
0:32:54 > 0:32:57Makes my job just so worthwhile.
0:32:57 > 0:32:59'I've popped along to see him in action
0:32:59 > 0:33:02'with one of his regular clients, Christina.'
0:33:02 > 0:33:05- So this is the business? - It certainly is.
0:33:05 > 0:33:06This beats the motorway for sure.
0:33:08 > 0:33:09There you go, Christina.
0:33:09 > 0:33:11If we do it like we said. Walk out...
0:33:11 > 0:33:14'Paul specialises in training gun dogs.
0:33:14 > 0:33:17'He focuses on training the owners as well as the dogs
0:33:17 > 0:33:20'and he already has dozens of clients.'
0:33:21 > 0:33:27The only question is, how you've not ended up doing this from the start?
0:33:27 > 0:33:29I mean, this is your natural environment, isn't it, Paul?
0:33:29 > 0:33:32It's my love. It's my passion.
0:33:32 > 0:33:37Never ever did I dream that one day I would be stood in
0:33:37 > 0:33:41this environment, laughing and smiling about work!
0:33:41 > 0:33:42You know,
0:33:42 > 0:33:46I don't know whether you believe in destiny, or things like that,
0:33:46 > 0:33:48but to be stood here on this hillside,
0:33:48 > 0:33:51you know, with that dog of yours, it almost makes you feel like
0:33:51 > 0:33:55something was meant to change at some point to allow you to do this.
0:33:55 > 0:33:57All I'm pleased about is that now,
0:33:57 > 0:34:00through help from Disability Dynamics,
0:34:00 > 0:34:04my health's getting better, my pain is still there at times,
0:34:04 > 0:34:08but who can't feel nice when they're up here?
0:34:09 > 0:34:12'The person that made all of this possible has also come along
0:34:12 > 0:34:14'to see Paul in action.'
0:34:15 > 0:34:18- Hi, Matt, nice to meet you. All right?- Is it warm enough for you?
0:34:18 > 0:34:20It's a little bit warm today, isn't it?
0:34:20 > 0:34:23- What do you think of that, what he's doing over there?- Oh, fantastic.
0:34:23 > 0:34:25Absolutely fantastic.
0:34:25 > 0:34:29For you, I mean, it's as much your dream and your career
0:34:29 > 0:34:34that's tied up in this as it is Paul being able to do what he can.
0:34:34 > 0:34:37From initially meeting Paul to seeing what he's doing now,
0:34:37 > 0:34:38it's just amazing.
0:34:38 > 0:34:42As you can see, off he goes, tail wagging.
0:34:43 > 0:34:44CHRISTINA WHISTLES
0:34:44 > 0:34:47And...come running back.
0:34:48 > 0:34:51And presenting it nicely. Lovely.
0:34:51 > 0:34:55- DENISE:- 'I think Paul is much happier in life now.'
0:34:55 > 0:34:57He certainly seems it.
0:34:57 > 0:34:59He...
0:34:59 > 0:35:05He just really seems to be a different person again.
0:35:05 > 0:35:06I've seen him working
0:35:06 > 0:35:11and you can tell he absolutely throws himself into it. He loves it.
0:35:11 > 0:35:13'I'm so privileged'
0:35:13 > 0:35:17to be at the position now where I enjoy my family.
0:35:17 > 0:35:20I enjoy my friends again.
0:35:20 > 0:35:21I had to go through
0:35:21 > 0:35:25to be able to get to this stage of my life where I am now.
0:35:32 > 0:35:34Paul had a job that he thought defined him.
0:35:34 > 0:35:37He was good at it and he enjoyed it.
0:35:37 > 0:35:39But then, along came the diagnosis
0:35:39 > 0:35:43which meant he wasn't going to be doing that job any more.
0:35:43 > 0:35:47It almost broke him. But now, with a lot of help,
0:35:47 > 0:35:48he's in a much better place.
0:35:53 > 0:35:57Time now to return to the deceitful world of our greedy scroungers.
0:35:59 > 0:36:02Worthing Council fraud investigators
0:36:02 > 0:36:05are looking into the case of Jacqueline Fox.
0:36:06 > 0:36:09On her claim forms, she purported to be a single mother
0:36:09 > 0:36:13raising three kids, needing support from the council and the DWP.
0:36:13 > 0:36:17But the investigators received a tip-off alleging that
0:36:17 > 0:36:22her partner, who'd left the house in 2003, had moved back in.
0:36:22 > 0:36:25We don't consider this to be a mistake because she's signed
0:36:25 > 0:36:29a declaration saying she's given the true and complete facts.
0:36:29 > 0:36:31Over a period of seven years, she'd claimed
0:36:31 > 0:36:35around £67,000 in benefits from the Department for Work and Pensions
0:36:35 > 0:36:38and Worthing Council.
0:36:38 > 0:36:40but the team had already discovered two things.
0:36:40 > 0:36:41Firstly, that her
0:36:41 > 0:36:45supposedly ex-partner's wages were going into her bank account
0:36:45 > 0:36:48and that she'd bought him a car,
0:36:48 > 0:36:50which was registered at her address.
0:36:50 > 0:36:53Now they needed to find proof that the tip-off held weight
0:36:53 > 0:36:57and that her partner had moved back in with Jacqueline.
0:36:57 > 0:37:00Dave and his team had enough evidence to justify a raid.
0:37:00 > 0:37:02So they immediately drafted in the police.
0:37:02 > 0:37:04We tend to get the police involved when we have a potentially
0:37:04 > 0:37:09serious benefit fraud which involves a large amount of public funds.
0:37:09 > 0:37:12And the police have, obviously, a power of arrest
0:37:12 > 0:37:16and a power of search which assists us greatly.
0:37:18 > 0:37:21In June 2011, police and Worthing Council
0:37:21 > 0:37:25conducted an early morning raid at Ms Fox's house.
0:37:25 > 0:37:27We were hoping that we would find
0:37:27 > 0:37:29further documentational evidence within the house.
0:37:29 > 0:37:32The raid was the only chance the team had
0:37:32 > 0:37:34of getting hold of hard evidence
0:37:34 > 0:37:36that Jacqueline's partner lived with her
0:37:36 > 0:37:38and brought an income into the household.
0:37:38 > 0:37:45Police and benefit officers attended this address, knocked on the door
0:37:45 > 0:37:50the door was answered by the alleged partner in his pyjamas,
0:37:50 > 0:37:53who to the officer said, "I'm only visiting."
0:37:53 > 0:37:56So, Ms Fox's partner denied living there,
0:37:56 > 0:38:00despite being in his pyjamas.
0:38:00 > 0:38:03Police immediately found what they were looking for.
0:38:03 > 0:38:04The raid was very successful.
0:38:04 > 0:38:06Photographs were taken of the evidence.
0:38:06 > 0:38:07Certain documents were seized
0:38:07 > 0:38:09and there were photographs within the house,
0:38:09 > 0:38:12men's clothing in the wardrobe -
0:38:12 > 0:38:16plenty of instances of male occupation in the house.
0:38:16 > 0:38:21Well, we were very happy with... It was a multi-agency raid.
0:38:21 > 0:38:23The police, the Department for Work and Pensions
0:38:23 > 0:38:25and ourselves raided the property
0:38:25 > 0:38:28and found exactly what we expected to find,
0:38:28 > 0:38:32which is two people living together and breaking the benefit rules.
0:38:32 > 0:38:36If it wasn't enough proof that her partner answered the door,
0:38:36 > 0:38:39they also found Jacqueline's partner's passport
0:38:39 > 0:38:40and other documentation,
0:38:40 > 0:38:43which proved he'd been living there permanently.
0:38:43 > 0:38:45With overwhelming evidence,
0:38:45 > 0:38:47Jacqueline Fox and her partner were arrested.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50It was about time that Jacqueline explained herself
0:38:50 > 0:38:54and Dave got her straight in for an interview under caution.
0:38:54 > 0:38:58At the police station, both parties where interviewed by benefit offices.
0:38:58 > 0:39:01Mrs Fox basically denied the allegation
0:39:01 > 0:39:03and made a prepared statement
0:39:03 > 0:39:06to the effect that her partner
0:39:06 > 0:39:09had moved out in 2003,
0:39:09 > 0:39:12which is why she claimed the benefits. But that thereafter,
0:39:12 > 0:39:15he had come and stayed at periods of time,
0:39:15 > 0:39:17but she was unable to give exact dates
0:39:17 > 0:39:20or for how long these periods of time were.
0:39:20 > 0:39:22This explanation would have been all right
0:39:22 > 0:39:25if there wasn't evidence already obtained, that he was living at
0:39:25 > 0:39:27the premises permanently, and all the time.
0:39:27 > 0:39:31So they'd proved that Jacqueline was living with her partner
0:39:31 > 0:39:34and they knew he was working. But the team didn't stop there,
0:39:34 > 0:39:37they'd also gathered evidence that proved
0:39:37 > 0:39:40her financial profile just didn't add up.
0:39:40 > 0:39:44We conducted a financial assessment of her bank accounts,
0:39:44 > 0:39:46which showed that her expenditure
0:39:46 > 0:39:49greatly exceeded her benefit income.
0:39:49 > 0:39:52That suggested that she had undeclared income,
0:39:52 > 0:39:55which she had not told us about.
0:39:55 > 0:39:58Dave could prove she'd lied to gain benefits.
0:39:58 > 0:40:00He had an undeclared bank account
0:40:00 > 0:40:02with her partner's wages going into it every week,
0:40:02 > 0:40:05a vehicle she'd bought for him,
0:40:05 > 0:40:08registered at her address, and evidence that he lived there.
0:40:08 > 0:40:12Now her partner was in no way involved with the actual fraud,
0:40:12 > 0:40:14but after nine years of playing the system,
0:40:14 > 0:40:17it was time for Jacqueline's day in court.
0:40:19 > 0:40:22Not only did we find the evidence,
0:40:22 > 0:40:25not only did we have a successful raid,
0:40:25 > 0:40:31but we convinced Mrs Fox that she should plead guilty in court
0:40:31 > 0:40:35and therefore save a great deal of money in the prosecution.
0:40:35 > 0:40:40She was convinced that we had the evidence against her.
0:40:40 > 0:40:43In May 2012, Jacqueline Fox pleaded guilty to
0:40:43 > 0:40:46seven counts of benefit fraud.
0:40:48 > 0:40:52The judge sentenced Mrs Fox to 52 weeks in prison
0:40:52 > 0:40:55but suspended it for two years on condition that she
0:40:55 > 0:40:58completed 120 hours' community work.
0:40:58 > 0:41:02But what about all the money that she'd fraudulently claimed?
0:41:02 > 0:41:05Nine years of cheating the system meant that Jacqueline Fox
0:41:05 > 0:41:09ended up being ordered to pay back a whopping £65,000
0:41:09 > 0:41:13to the Department for Work and Pensions and Worthing Council.
0:41:14 > 0:41:16And they didn't stop there.
0:41:16 > 0:41:19She was also forced to pay £9,000 for court costs.
0:41:19 > 0:41:22It was a great result.
0:41:22 > 0:41:25Fox had been caught out. There was only one way
0:41:25 > 0:41:28she could pay up. She had to sell her house.
0:41:28 > 0:41:32The fraud team at Worthing once again sprung into action.
0:41:32 > 0:41:35The council were going to apply for a confiscation order
0:41:35 > 0:41:39so that Mrs Fox could not sell her house without the monies
0:41:39 > 0:41:40being repaid to the necessary authorities.
0:41:40 > 0:41:44However it was established that she already had the house on the market,
0:41:44 > 0:41:47so rather than do a confiscation order,
0:41:47 > 0:41:49a block was put on the Land Registry,
0:41:49 > 0:41:54which means that she could not sell the house without first paying
0:41:54 > 0:41:58the Department of Work and Pensions and the council back the monies
0:41:58 > 0:42:00from the proceeds.
0:42:00 > 0:42:03It can take up to ten years to get the money back in some cases
0:42:03 > 0:42:05because the people we're trying to
0:42:05 > 0:42:09get it back from haven't got that much.
0:42:09 > 0:42:11She repaid the Department for Work and Pensions
0:42:11 > 0:42:15over £59,000 and the council in excess of £7,000.
0:42:15 > 0:42:18So having ensured Ms Fox couldn't run off with
0:42:18 > 0:42:19the proceeds of her house sale,
0:42:19 > 0:42:22Worthing's fraud team and the Department for Work and Pensions
0:42:22 > 0:42:27got back every single penny that she'd fraudulently claimed.
0:42:27 > 0:42:31'I would say it's a very dangerous game to play.
0:42:31 > 0:42:36'We have huge amounts of information coming in to us
0:42:36 > 0:42:39'and I don't think many people get away with it.'
0:42:39 > 0:42:43You will pay a heavy price for trying to cheat the Government.
0:42:44 > 0:42:49So, the "fantastic" Mrs Fox wasn't cunning enough to escape
0:42:49 > 0:42:50the fraud investigators.
0:42:50 > 0:42:55They tracked her down and forced her to repay every penny
0:42:55 > 0:42:57she owed back into the public purse.
0:43:15 > 0:43:19Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd