Dundee woman scams £10k in benefits from her sister

A woman scammed £10,000 from her own sister by having benefits due to her sibling paid into her bank account.

Helen Burns had cash which was due to Elizabeth Burns paid into her bank account for a period of more than two-and-a-half years between June 2011 and March 2014.

Dundee Sheriff Court heard Burns told Department for Work and Pensions bosses that the account was in Elizabeth Burns’ name.

But in reality the money — which came to a total of £10,353.30 — was going to Burns.

She later claimed she had carried out the scam because her sister owed her money.

Burns, 40, of Kingsway East, Dundee, pleaded guilty to a charge under the Social Security Administration Act on summary complaint.

Sheriff Alastair Brown imposed a community payback order with two years’ supervision and 160 hours unpaid work.

He also ordered her to pay compensation of £2,800 to her sister.

The sheriff said: “I can’t order you to pay the full amount back.

“But I can say that if she was to sue you, she would win.”