A JET-setting divorcee nicknamed “Miss Holiday” has been unmasked as a £40,000 benefit scrounger.
Susan Pearson’s pals joked she clocked up “more air miles than Air Force One” after travelling to Tunisia, Cyprus, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote and Tenerife.
CavendishSusan Pearson scrounged benefits to pay for her holidays[/caption]
She also enjoyed a luxury cruise around the Mediterranean and joked about one impending eight-day trip: “About time – not had a holiday since last week.”
The 58-year-old paid for her lavish trips by sponging more than £40,000 in Universal Credit over five years.
Pearson also fraudulently obtained a £500 reduction on her council tax bill.
When she was eventually caught, Pearson claimed she had spent the cash on ”windows, roof repair and a door”.
She pleaded guilty to two counts of dishonestly failing to disclose information.
But Pearson avoided jail and was instead ordered by a judge to use all of her savings to pay the benefits back.
Bolton Crown Court heard she first submitted a Universal Credit claim in May 2018 saying she was single, unemployed and that she had no savings, income, investments or other capital.
Over the course of five years, she raked in £40,334.21, which she splurged on exotic trips.
Pearson’s Facebook account showed her enjoying holidays with cocktails in front of the sea and having fun by hotel pools.
In response to one post, a friend said: ”Where are you now? More air miles than Airforce 1”, while another quipped: ”I think she’s won the lottery n not telling us pal.”
A third said: ”Do you have a secret sugar daddy?” as a fourth joked: ”Miss Holiday living up to your name. Miss Holiday is as Miss Holiday does.”
Pearson’s scam unravelled when welfare officials received information saying she held undeclared savings with Nationwide and a Co-Funds pension account.
Ellie Watson, prosecuting, said: “A request to the Operational Intelligence Unit within DWP took place in June 2023 requesting details of any bank accounts held by the defendant during the period in which she was claiming Universal Credit.
“It was identified that she held two accounts with Nationwide which showed capital above the permitted limit of £16,000. Statements of transactions were supplied for both the accounts and are seen to have far in excess of the permitted limit, reaching up to £40,616.37.
”The claim was fraudulent from the outset and being over a five year period was made over a prolonged period of time.”
The court heard the amount of Universal Credit overpaid was £40,334.21 and the total amount Pearson got off her council tax was £536.22.
She is currently legitimately claiming £55 a week in carer’s allowance to help her look after her 83-year-old mother.
Sentencing, Judge Nicholas Clarke KC said: “I am sure you are thoroughly ashamed of yourself to be in the dock at that age.
“But I do not want you to remain in the anxious state that I can see you are in so I want you to know you are not going to prison today. But you will need to make arrangements to pay the compensation.”
CavendishPearson shared a string of photos from her trips[/caption]
CavendishHer pals jokingly called her ‘Miss Holiday’[/caption]
The amount of Universal Credit overpaid was £40,334.21Cavendish
CavendishShe pleaded guilty to dishonestly failing to disclose information[/caption]
CavendishPearson avoided jail but must pay the cash back[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
