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Deal or No Deal winner Caroline Banana sentenced for fraud | Deal or No Deal winner Caroline Banana sentenced for fraud |
(about 8 hours later) | |
A woman who won £95,000 on the TV show Deal or No Deal has been ordered to carry out 215 hours of unpaid work after admitting benefit fraud. | A woman who won £95,000 on the TV show Deal or No Deal has been ordered to carry out 215 hours of unpaid work after admitting benefit fraud. |
Caroline Banana, 40, from Stoke-on-Trent, had admitted wrongly receiving more than £6,100 in housing and council tax benefits and income support. | Caroline Banana, 40, from Stoke-on-Trent, had admitted wrongly receiving more than £6,100 in housing and council tax benefits and income support. |
Banana failed to declare her winnings from the Channel 4 game show and did not disclose that she had found work. | Banana failed to declare her winnings from the Channel 4 game show and did not disclose that she had found work. |
She received a 12-month community order at North Staffordshire Justice Centre. | She received a 12-month community order at North Staffordshire Justice Centre. |
Banana, who had found work including jobs at a chemists, hospital and doctors' surgery, falsely claimed the benefits between 28 March 2011 and 13 May 2012. | Banana, who had found work including jobs at a chemists, hospital and doctors' surgery, falsely claimed the benefits between 28 March 2011 and 13 May 2012. |
She also admitted falsely claiming free school meal allowances. | |
Banana, of Whitridge Grove, Bentilee, failed to declare her windfall from November 2011 to Stoke City Council and the Department for Work and Pensions. | Banana, of Whitridge Grove, Bentilee, failed to declare her windfall from November 2011 to Stoke City Council and the Department for Work and Pensions. |
Sentencing her, District Judge David Taylor told Banana she had brought the large amount of media attention the case had attracted across the world upon herself. | Sentencing her, District Judge David Taylor told Banana she had brought the large amount of media attention the case had attracted across the world upon herself. |
He said "any honest person" would have reported the game show winnings soon after receiving them and said he believed Banana's behaviour amounted to "a deliberate cover-up". | He said "any honest person" would have reported the game show winnings soon after receiving them and said he believed Banana's behaviour amounted to "a deliberate cover-up". |
House in Turkey | House in Turkey |
"Any offence of benefit fraud is never victimless," the judge said. | "Any offence of benefit fraud is never victimless," the judge said. |
"It harms every member of society who works and pays tax with the misfortune of having to claim benefit." | "It harms every member of society who works and pays tax with the misfortune of having to claim benefit." |
The judge said Banana had only pleaded guilty just before her trial last week and so only gave her "minimum credit" for that plea. | The judge said Banana had only pleaded guilty just before her trial last week and so only gave her "minimum credit" for that plea. |
Banana was also ordered to repay £2,517 to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and £3,794 to Stoke-on-Trent City Council. | Banana was also ordered to repay £2,517 to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and £3,794 to Stoke-on-Trent City Council. |
She was also told to pay £350 in costs to the court. | She was also told to pay £350 in costs to the court. |
Banana's solicitor David Green said his client would have to sell a £60,000 property in Turkey she had bought with her winnings in order to settle the debt. | Banana's solicitor David Green said his client would have to sell a £60,000 property in Turkey she had bought with her winnings in order to settle the debt. |
Mr Green said Banana had shown "all remorse and shame" and job offers had been withdrawn after potential employers read about her case in the press. | Mr Green said Banana had shown "all remorse and shame" and job offers had been withdrawn after potential employers read about her case in the press. |
Paul Shotton, city council cabinet member for finance, said ignorance about the benefits system was "no defence". | Paul Shotton, city council cabinet member for finance, said ignorance about the benefits system was "no defence". |
He added: "We take a very dim view of those who defraud the council, and we will prosecute wherever appropriate." |