12:00pm Monday 19th October 2009
A WOMAN who bought land and property in three countries, even though she was living off benefits, has been given a two-year conditional discharge.
Denise Hanbury, of Alexandria Drive, Wivenhoe, told Chelmsford Crown Court she had remortgaged her home and spent £64,000 on overseas investments in Turkey, Bulgaria and Egypt.
In two of the countries she bought land without property, and it is uncertain whether she will get her deposits back.
Last month, the 49-year-old admitted one offence of failing promptly to declare she had savings over the £16,000 limit, knowing it would affect her entitlement to income support between November 27, 2006, and December 18, 2007.
The court was told she had received overpayments totalling £3,519, which she is repaying back at £5 per month. Hanbury is receiving working tax credit.
Daniel Howell, defending, said Hanbury wanted to take advantage of the property market in 2006, and intended to buy property abroad to earn rent to get herself off benefits.
Her sentencing had been adjourned for reports, but on Wednesday Recorder John Akast gave her a conditional discharge for two years, saying the offence was committed under exceptional circumstances.
He told the mum-of-four: “Your explanation to manage them in some way, which would in years to come make you free of dependency on the state is a laudable aim, but at the time you were dependent on the state.”
Mr Howell said Hanbury, who was of good character, suffered from chronic fatigue and could only work part-time.
The judge also ordered her to pay £250 court costs at £10 a month.
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.gazette-news.co.uk/trade_directory/