Curfew order for benefit fraud woman

A Hadfield woman has been handed a 12-month community order for fraudulently claiming over £4,000 in housing and council tax benefit.
By The Newsroom
Published 11th May 2014, 14:00 BST

Marianne Zowanyk, 34, of Oakfield Road, pleaded guilty to one charge of making a fraudulent claim when she appeared before magistrates in Buxton on Tuesday April 29.

She was sentenced to a 12-month community order with a 12-week curfew order.

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High Peak Borough Council brought the case following an investigation into housing benefit which Zowanyk was claiming for a property on Kinder Road in Hayfield.

This revealed that the tenancy agreement she had provided was false, that it had been changed to exclude her husband and that she had stopped using her married name in relation to her claim. Zowanyk also failed to disclose that she owned a property.

As a result housing benefit totalling £3,270.98 and £255.57 in council tax benefit were wrongly claimed and she also received a greater reduction in council tax than she was entitled to. The council decided to prosecute Zonwanyk after she declined the opportunity to be interviewed about the matter.