'Greedy' HMRC worker who pocketed over £300k in child benefit only has to pay back £1

A "greedy" HMRC worker who pocketed more than £300,000 in a child benefit fraud has to pay back just £1. Tracy Ashbridge, 44, of Plough Road, Sunderland, falsely claimed three of her children were disabled and submitted false tax credit claims for another 15 children.

She used details from a work computer system storing details on members of the public to help perpetrate some of the frauds.

Ashbridge was locked up for six counts of fraud in September while her husband, Robert Ashbridge, who helped with one of the offences, was given a suspended prison sentence, according to Chronicle Live.

Her case returned under the Proceeds of Crime Act to Newcastle Crown Court which heard she had conned taxpayers out of £305,952, but that because she has no available assets the fraudster must pay back £1 unless she comes into money in the future.

Prosecutor Neil Jones told the hearing: "She has no available amount to satisfy the order. There is absolutely, definitely, no available sum."

Ashbridge processed child tax credit claims for HMRC from 2012 and was paid £11,000 a year. The court heard that the mum-of-four started offending in 2015 when she made claims for child tax credits for her three youngest children.

She wrongly assumed other claimants suspected of offences were not being investigated and the "temptation became too much" for her. Ashbridge made false claims her children were disabled, pocketing more than £180,000.

Another £59,000 was falsely claimed by Ashbridge after a family wrote to HMRC to say they were moving to Poland and she took the money herself.

At one point Ashbridge messaged her husband, asking, "Shall we have another child", to which he replied, "Are you taking the ****, how we meant to do that".

She wrote, "Not physically lol", to which he replied, "Do you mean money?". She then asked if he could think of a child to use and he suggested a name and date of birth. Ashbridge replied with a texted kiss.

The con started to unravel when Ashbridge got "a little too greedy" and attempted to backdate claims to 2009, which Chronicle Live reported would have netted her another £107,000.

But investigators were onto her and that money along with another payment she tried to grab failed to materialise.

Tracy Ashbridge pleaded guilty to six counts of fraud and was jailed for two years and four months while Robert Ashbridge, also 44 and of Plough Road, Sunderland, admitted one offence of fraud to the value of £180,000 and was sentenced to 18 months suspended for two years.

Tom Storey, defending Tracy Ashbridge, said she has depression and physical health problems, adding: "This was out of character for her.

"She lives with her husband and their four children. Two of them are still teenagers. She is deeply ashamed of her behaviour and expresses remorse."

Nick Lane, for Robert Ashbridge, said: "While he knew something of his wife's offending, he said he didn't appreciate the full extent of her activities until the point he was arrested and only when interviewed did he learn, fully, the sums involved."

Mr Lane added that references for his client included one from a reverend, who he said spoke of him as "a trustworthy member of the congregation" at his local church and was trusted to run the parish's administration.

He said Mr Ashbridge felt remorseful and was deeply ashamed as well as embarrassed to find himself before the court.

A Proceeds of Crime Act hearing is due to take place in relation to Mr Ashbridge's case later this year, according to the Chronicle.