KEY POINTS:
A 65-year-old Lower Hutt housewife was jailed yesterday for a year for benefit fraud involving more than $85,500. But the judge said Beverley Patmore, also known as Beverley Smith, could apply for home detention.
Patmore walked slowly with the aid of a cane to the dock in Wellington District Court to hear her sentence on 10 charges of fraud - and cried as proceedings began.
Judge Anthony Walsh said Patmore was granted an invalid's benefit for a single person in March 1989 and was told to tell the Ministry of Social Development if her situation changed.
Between January 1996 and January 2005, she completed applications reviewing her benefit entitlement in which she said she was not living with another person in a relationship such as marriage.
In fact, Patmore had reconciled with her husband in October 1995.
Her lawyer, Margaret Overton, noted Patmore's guilty pleas, her lack of previous convictions, co-operation with the investigation and her age in mitigation.
She added Patmore was taking 13 different medications a day for conditions including diabetes, cardiac disorder and depression.
"This offending, which sadly is very prevalent in this country, must be denounced," Judge Walsh said.
He granted Patmore leave to apply for home detention.
- NZPA
