A woman who ripped off $47,500 from the welfare system was sentenced to jail yesterday.
Angela Sims, 37, pleaded guilty to three charges of fraud when she appeared in the Hastings District Court.
The court was told the mother of three ripped off the benefit system from December 2002 to July 2005,
amassing $47,500. Her lawyer, Tony Snell, said Sims was remorseful, had no previous convictions and pleaded guilty early. The extra money went toward domestic living, and not extravagant purchases.
Mr Snell said Sims had already begun paying back the amount at $25 a week and increased payments to $100 a week.
However, at Christmas when expenses were high, the payments had been reduced to $25 weekly.
Sims' employers were in court supporting her, Mr Snell said.
Judge Geoff Rea sentenced Sims to eight months' imprisonment on each of the three charges, to be served concurrently.
However, sending her straight to prison would sentence her children, as much as her, he said.
Judge Rea deferred her sentence for two months, to allow the Parole Board to consider her case for home detention.
