The 46-year-old Chellaston mum has been spared immediate prison
15:01, 20 Jul 2026Updated 15:36, 20 Jul 2026
The case was heard at Derby Crown Court(Image: Derby Telegraph)
A benefits cheat from Derby claimed more than £40,000 of public money despite coming into cash from an inheritance.
Derby Crown Court was told how Jeanette Griffin, of Chellaston, should have notified the Department of Work and Pensions about her windfall but failed to for a number of years.
However, when the 46-year-old was presented with the evidence she immediately held her hand up.
And a recent change in the law means she has avoided an immediate prison term for her criminality.
Handing her an eight-month prison term, suspended for a year, Judge Shaun Smith KC said: “This was a fraud of the public purse, you carried on with it for a long period of time and it was a large sum of money.
“But you did not set out to defraud the public from the outset.
“What happened was you just did not tell the DWP when your situation changed.
“You thought you could get away with it but you didn’t but in fairness to you when you knew the game was up you simply said ‘the game is up’.
“But the law now is that any sentence of 12 months or less is to be suspended unless there are exceptional circumstances and in this case there are no exceptional circumstances.
“But you will be back here for a further hearing later this year to see if there is any money to be had.”
Clarkson Baptiste, prosecuting, said Griffin began claiming benefits in 2005 and continued until the 2020s.
He said: “When she first claimed she said she was a single parent and agreed to notify the DWP if there was ever any change of circumstance in relation to her claim.
“Evidence came to light that she had failed to notify when she had money in four different bank accounts.
“That was money that was from an inheritance from her grandmother.
“The overpayment from Income Support was £5,265.27 between July 28, 2017 and August 7, 2020.
“The Housing Benefit overpayment was £31,689.39 between July 31, 2017, and January 15, 2024, and the Council Tax Support overpayment was £3,643.47 between July 31, 2017, and January 15, 2024.
“The total therefore was £40,598.13.
“She did admit her wrongdoing when a benefit’s officer presented her with the evidence.”
Griffin, of St Peter’s Road, pleaded guilty to failing to notify the authorities about a change of circumstance in relation to benefits claims.
She has no previous convictions.
When Judge Smith told him he was not going to send his client immediately to prison, defence barrister Philip Bown said he had nothing to add in mitigation.
As part of the suspended sentence order, the judge ordered the defendant to attend 15 rehabilitation sessions with the probation service.
A Proceeds of Crime Act hearing, which could involve Griffin being stripped of any cash or assets she might have, is scheduled to take place in October.