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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Former Miss Great Britain competitor cleared of benefit fraud | Former Miss Great Britain competitor cleared of benefit fraud |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| A former Miss Britain competitor wept in the dock on Friday as she was found not guilty of benefits fraud. | A former Miss Britain competitor wept in the dock on Friday as she was found not guilty of benefits fraud. |
| Rachel Hatton, 29, had denied falsely claiming thousands of pounds in benefits as a single parent from South Northamptonshire council. | Rachel Hatton, 29, had denied falsely claiming thousands of pounds in benefits as a single parent from South Northamptonshire council. |
| Prosecutors alleged that Hatton had been in a relationship with her landlord, Nathaniel Simon, and continued to claim benefits from the council while they lived together in a four-bedroom house he owned in Foxfield Way, Grange Park, Northampton. | Prosecutors alleged that Hatton had been in a relationship with her landlord, Nathaniel Simon, and continued to claim benefits from the council while they lived together in a four-bedroom house he owned in Foxfield Way, Grange Park, Northampton. |
| Hatton denied the claims and told Department for Work and Pensions investigators that, although she had slept with Simon a couple of times, they had never been in a relationship. | Hatton denied the claims and told Department for Work and Pensions investigators that, although she had slept with Simon a couple of times, they had never been in a relationship. |
| Hatton faced one count of making false representation, two counts of fraud by failing to disclose information and a further count of fraud by false representation over a two-year period between 2009 and 2011 in relation to the benefits claims. | Hatton faced one count of making false representation, two counts of fraud by failing to disclose information and a further count of fraud by false representation over a two-year period between 2009 and 2011 in relation to the benefits claims. |
| Simon, of the same address, was accused of furnishing false information in relation to the tenancy agreement he and Hatton had, and another charge of fraud by failing to disclose information. | Simon, of the same address, was accused of furnishing false information in relation to the tenancy agreement he and Hatton had, and another charge of fraud by failing to disclose information. |
| A jury at Northampton crown court cleared the pair of all charges. | A jury at Northampton crown court cleared the pair of all charges. |
| Simon, 36, hugged Hatton in the dock as the verdict was delivered. | Simon, 36, hugged Hatton in the dock as the verdict was delivered. |
| Jurors had heard that Hatton told investigators the situation between her and Simon was "open and flexible" – he had a key to the property and they would sometimes eat together or watch television in the evening, and she occasionally did his washing. | Jurors had heard that Hatton told investigators the situation between her and Simon was "open and flexible" – he had a key to the property and they would sometimes eat together or watch television in the evening, and she occasionally did his washing. |
| He was also insured to drive her Audi car and the pair had been on holiday together to Turkey. | He was also insured to drive her Audi car and the pair had been on holiday together to Turkey. |
| Hatton also told investigators: "We were definitely friends but I've not realised until now that all these things I've been doing in your eyes have been wrong." | Hatton also told investigators: "We were definitely friends but I've not realised until now that all these things I've been doing in your eyes have been wrong." |
| Simon would often be at the house in the evenings, carrying out improvements to the property, she said. | Simon would often be at the house in the evenings, carrying out improvements to the property, she said. |
| "He would either then go to sleep in the caravan or go to his mum's," she added. | "He would either then go to sleep in the caravan or go to his mum's," she added. |
| The pair said Simon slept in a caravan on the driveway of the house while she lived inside. | The pair said Simon slept in a caravan on the driveway of the house while she lived inside. |
| He ended up living in the caravan, Hatton said, because his work situation changed and he could not afford the mortgage on the house and needed some extra income from renting. | He ended up living in the caravan, Hatton said, because his work situation changed and he could not afford the mortgage on the house and needed some extra income from renting. |
| Her defence barrister, Derek Johashen, asked her: "Did he ever sleep over at the house?" | Her defence barrister, Derek Johashen, asked her: "Did he ever sleep over at the house?" |
| "No," Hatton replied. | "No," Hatton replied. |
| "Not once?" | "Not once?" |
| "No." | "No." |
| Hatton was the first single parent/divorcee to be allowed to enter the Miss Great Britain competition. | Hatton was the first single parent/divorcee to be allowed to enter the Miss Great Britain competition. |
| The mother-of-one won the regional title of Miss Warwickshire before going on to the finals of the contest. | The mother-of-one won the regional title of Miss Warwickshire before going on to the finals of the contest. |
| She previously served five years in the army as a telecommunications specialist with the Royal Logistics Corps, spending two years in England, three in Germany, six months in Iraq and two months in Poland. | She previously served five years in the army as a telecommunications specialist with the Royal Logistics Corps, spending two years in England, three in Germany, six months in Iraq and two months in Poland. |
| She discharged herself so her son, who was born in 2003, could be her priority, she told the court. | She discharged herself so her son, who was born in 2003, could be her priority, she told the court. |
| The court heard during the trial that she is currently unemployed and looking for work as a fitness instructor after taking courses in physical training. | The court heard during the trial that she is currently unemployed and looking for work as a fitness instructor after taking courses in physical training. |
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