A childminder illegally claimed more than £14,000 in benefits while living in Greece.
Married Dawna Bird was supposed to tell the Department for Work and Pensions when she was out of the country for more than 28 days as this affected her claim for Personal Independence Payments (PIP).
The payments are awarded to anyone with a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability which makes everyday tasks or getting around difficult.
But between 2019 and 2023 she spent ‘more than 1,000 days’ living abroad – even advertising her services as a childminder in Greece on Facebook.
She also advertised furniture for sale saying she was moving and asked if anyone was selling large suitcases cheaply as she was ‘moving abroad’.
Her husband Harry Bird has already been dealt with by the courts for claiming around £70,000 in extra payments.
He was handed a nine month sentence, suspended for two years, Derby Crown Court heard.
Dawna Bird, 66, from Derby, was handed a five-month prison term, suspended for a year
She advertised as a childminder in Greece on Facebook and sold furniture when she moved
She posted on Facebook asking if anyone was selling large suitcases before moving abroad
On another post she sold off furniture before moving from Derby to Greece while continuing to claim
She also offered childminding services from her home in both English and Greek
Mrs Bird, of Alvaston, Derby, appeared in court herself on Monday, where she admitted fraud on what was due to be the first day of her trial.
She was handed a five-month prison term, suspended for a year.
Judge Shaun Smith KC told her: ‘The evidence was pretty overwhelming and in the end you have seen sense.
‘You are now paying the money back in smaller amounts.’
Prosecutor Stefan Fox said Bird first claimed PIP in February 2019.
The prosecutor said it was successful and she was sent information saying if she left the country she needed to tell the DWP.
But she failed to do so when, between then and 2023, she went to live some of the year in Greece.
Mr Fox said: ‘Evidence came to light that she was living outside the UK and an investigation began.
‘There were periods when she flew to and from Greece and in total was more than 1,000 days during which she was obligated to tell the DWP.
‘There are screen shots from Facebook accounts where she was saying she was planning to move abroad and Facebook posts that she was in Greece and advertising as a child minder.
‘The defendant returned to the UK in August 2023 and was invited to participate in a voluntary interview where it was put to her she had been out of the UK for extensive periods of time but she denied that she was living abroad.’
Bird has previous convictions including theft and handling stolen goods dating back to the 1980s, the court heard.
Dan Scothern, in mitigation, said: ‘The claim was initially legitimate and Mrs Bird is now having the funds removed at source to repay the sum.’
Minister for Transformation, Andrew Western said afterwards: ‘The message is clear – don’t think you can steal from hardworking taxpayers.
‘Whatever your reasons for committing benefit fraud, know that our investigators are wise to every trick in the book and we will find you.
‘And if you know somebody is fleecing the system, report it.’
