A mother who illegally claimed thousands of pounds in benefits went on to treat herself to cosmetic surgery, a court heard.
Salma Chowdry claimed £14,446 in housing benefit and £1,600 in council tax benefit from Walsall Council, all the while owning a mortgage-free property in Halifax, West Yorkshire, worth £90,000.
The benefit fraud came to light in April last year and just months later the 40-year-old took out a £77,000 mortgage on the Halifax house.
Within weeks the funds she had gained from mortgaging the house had been reduced by £70,000.
Prosecuting at Wolverhampton Crown Court yesterday, Mr Philip Brunt said £30,000 ended up in an Abbey account and there were regular high-value withdrawals between January and June of this year.
He said: “There has been no proper explanation as to where that money went but it is said some was spent on cosmetic surgery.”
Mr Brunt said the benefit fraud spanned from March 2004 to April 2007. Chowdry bought the house in Halifax in 2001.
“In interview, she gave the explanation she was fleeing from a violent partner and the council was prepared to look with some sympathy on her position and asked for a formal statement,” he told the court.
“But the simple fact is, she took no steps to provide this and then filled in the mortgage application.
“She has taken no steps, despite having the funds, to repay the money.”
Mother-of-three Chowdry, of Sutton Road, Walsall, previously pleaded guilty to dishonestly making false representations to obtain benefits.
Mr Robert Perry, defending, said there was a long history of severe domestic violence and his client had taken an overdose as a result of her crimes coming to light.
Judge Robert Trevor-Jones sentenced Chowdry to six months in prison, suspended for two years and nine months supervision.
He also ordered her to pay compensation of £14,446 and costs of £2,721.
By Elizabeth Joyce
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