A BRADLEY woman has appeared in court accused of committing £100,000 in benefit fraud over eight years.
Jane Heeley, 51, is accused of failing to declare she was living in the same household as her husband while claiming Income Support, Housing Benefit, Disability Living Allowance and Council Tax benefits.
She appeared at Leeds Crown Court yesterday charged with 10 counts of fraud by false representation between 2002 and 2010.
Prosecutor Simon Clegg asked for the charges to be put to the defendant.
Heeley, of Park Lea, Bradley, then entered not guilty pleas to 10 counts of fraud by false representation.
Her husband Joseph Flaherty, 54, also appeared in the dock and denied three counts of aiding and abetting his wife’s alleged fraud.
The court yesterday heard Heeley suffered injuries in an accident in 1991 and had problems with her left ankle which affected her mobility.
But she is accused of failing to declare an improvement in her medical condition and received Disability Living Allowance between March 2003 and November 2010 to which she was not entitled.
Heeley, who got married in Las Vegas in 2000, also allegedly never declared that after this time she was living with her husband and continued to receive single occupancy Council Tax discount.
In December the following year she is accused of being in receipt of housing benefit from Kirklees Council to which she was not entitled to because she owned her own home.
And in November 2009 it is alleged she failed to declare she was working whilst in receipt of Income Support.
The case will next be listed for mention at Leeds Crown Court on June 26.
Both defendants were granted bail.
