Benefit fraud lawyer fined
4 Nov 04
Fraudulent childcare tax credit claim by solicitor nets £750 fine
A former solicitor was fined £750 yesterday after admitting that she fraudulently obtained over £5,000 in working families tax credit to which she was not entitled.
Louise Hay of Broughty Ferry, Dundee, pleaded guilty to amended charges that she fraudulently submitted the claims and pretended to incur childcare expenses over a 12 month period in 2000 and 2001 for her then two children, forging signatures of childcare providers.
Hay, formerly a civil court lawyer with Simpson & Marwick, came off the Law Society of Scotland's roll in September this year. Dundee Sheriff Court was told that she had repaid the money and is now unemployed. But Sheriff Grant McCulloch considered that the offence was too serious for an admonition.