Housing benefit cheat sentenced to community service
An Edinburgh woman who conned officials into giving her £45,000 of housing benefit has been sentenced to 300 hours community service.
Laura McKinlay, 35, told Department of Work and Pensions chiefs she was staying at a home which was owned by a private landlord.
But Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard she was at her husband's house in the city's Appin Place.
McKinlay pleaded guilty to fraud between 25 June 2008 and 9 July 2009.
She was caught by DWP investigators.
Sentence had been deferred in order for the court to obtain reports about her character.
On Tuesday, Sheriff Arthurson decided not to send McKinlay to prison and sentenced the first offender to community service.