Benefits cheat who conned taxpayer out of £40k fails bid to skip curfew for Turkey trip

A benefits cheat who conned taxpayers out of £40,000 has failed in her bid to skip community service to go on holiday in Turkey. Suzanne Gillman, 65, of Blairgowrie, Scotland, wept when being told she wouldn't be able to visit family for a birthday bash in the Middle East country.

Gillman dodged jail but was placed on a tag for 12 months earlier this year after admitting stealing benefits for seven years, the Daily Record reports.

She was back in court to ask if a curfew could be lifted for 25 nights over four separate occasions in the next four months. The convicted fraudster wanted to visit Turkey, see her daughter in England and visit her dad on his birthday and Father's Day.

Sheriff Jennifer Bain KC dismissed all her requests, telling Gillman she had been lucky to avoid jail and noting how she had already been given a seven day break from the curfew for a family visit in March.

Ms Bain told her a trip to see her dad would be possible within the hours of her curfew, her holiday was booked when the proceedings were already outstanding and Gillman should have made her daughter aware.

Gillman wrongfully claimed benefits while working at a branch of the jewellery store, Beaverbrooks. She claimed to have been off sick for years and was too scared to face customers.

The pensioner had in fact taken a week off because of illness during the period she claimed to have been unable to work.

At her original trial, Brian Bell, Gillman's solicitor, admitted the scale of her deceit meant she could have been jailed for her crime.

He told the court his client had no previous convictions, was 65 and has a "significant" medical condition which needs treatment.

Mr Bell told Perth Sheriff Court in November last year that Gillman, who pleaded guilty, would struggle with a custodial sentence.

Sheriff Bain ordered her to complete 200 hours of unpaid work, telling Gillman she obtained employment and support allowance she wasn't entitled to.

She added: "This is an incredibly serious matter as your actions prevented that significant sum of money from being made available to those with legitimate need.

"The law says that knowingly depriving the state of such funds should result in a custodial sentence - unless there are truly exceptional circumstances."

Sheriff Bain said there were "truly exceptional circumstances" when sentencing Gillman to a community payback order.

Gillman admitted that she claimed £40,000 Employment Support Allowance she was not entitled to between March 27, 2011, and May 11, 2018.

She admitted knowingly failing to give prompt notification to the Department of Work and Pensions that she had returned to work at Beaverbrooks' Dundee store on March 27, 2011.

A second charge that Gillman claimed £19,642.86 in housing benefit and £468.48 in council tax benefit between June 6, 2011, and May 20, 2018, was dropped.

The fraud came to light after Gillman's benefits were reviewed and it became clear she had been overpaid. An investigation of her bank account showed payments were being made by Beaverbrooks along with the benefits she wasn't entitled to.