A trainee probation officer – studying for a criminal justice degree – continued illegally claiming £3,957 housing benefit despite landing the £17,000 a year job dealing with offenders.
Mother-of-three Adenike Adegbamiye, 41, of Pearce Court, Harmony Place, Southwark, lost her job and now claims £1,000 a month family tax credit plus child benefit coupled with her husband’s modest income.
After the family moved from Italy in 2005 – where they were also claiming benefits – they were given temporary council accommodation and awarded housing benefit.
However, after landing the job three years later she failed to tell the council, also omitting to mention receiving thousands of pounds in student loans and grants for another degree course.
She pleaded guilty today at City of London Magistrates’ Court (pictured) that between October 6, 2008 and January 18, this year, in relation to a housing benefit application, failed to notify the London Borough of Southwark she commenced salaried employment on October 6 with the National Probation Service.
Southwark Council withdrew charges that between October 1, 2007 and January 18, 2009, in relation to a housing benefit application she failed to notify a change of circumstances, namely receipt of a £5,585 student loan and £3,162.75 defendant’s grants for year one of a London Southwark University undergraduate course.
They also withdrew a charge that between January 12 and 18, this year, in relation to housing benefit, she failed to notify the opening of a Barclays Tax Haven ISA account on January 12, with £1,300.
Adegbamiye, who like her husband – an Italian passport holder - is of West African origin, even sat as a panel member on her local Community Youth Offending Team and will now be forced to resign.
“She is ashamed and embarrassed to appear in court as somebody hoping for a career in the probation service,” her lawyer Mr. Andrew Hope told the court.
Adegbamiye lost her job with the Probation Service on December 9, this year, after failing part of her Criminal Justice degree, which she was studying at the University of Hertfordshire.
Mr. Joel Smith, representing Southwark Council, said the couple both signed the original application and passed reviews in September, 2006 and July, 2007.
She was obliged to notify the council of any change in her finances. “She started employment with the Probation Service on October 6, 2008 and did not declare that change of circumstances.
The council ordered Adegbamiye to attend an interview on February 19, this year over concerns of “non declaration” and she arrived with a change of circumstances form already completed after taking legal advice.
“All the monies owing have been paid back in full,” explained Mr. Hope, claiming his client thought she had to wait until the end of the financial year to declare earnings to the council.
The magistrates fined Adegbamiye £270, with £2,515 costs, after Mr. Hope successfully persuaded them to slash their original £3,415 costs award to Southwark Council.
“Forgive me for saying this, but it’s a crippling order for costs. It will sentence the family to a financial burden for years to come,” he submitted.
“It puts them in a situation that is often a catalyst for these sorts of offences in the first place,” said Mr. Hope.
Adegbamiye was ordered to pay £50 immediately and the balance at £100 per month. It will take over 27 months to pay.
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