£100,000 trial mum changes plea

THE trial of an Oldham mother-of-five alleged to have accepted more than £100,000 in benefit payments, was dramatically halted when she changed her plea to guilty.

A jury at Manchester Crown Court heard evidence that 38-year-old Nazma Hoque had wrongly claimed Income Support and housing and council tax benefits from Oldham Council for 10 years. She repeatedly claimed her husband Shafiqul had deserted her, even though he was living at the family home in Sherwood Street, Oldham.

On the day her defence case was due to begin she told the court she was pleading guilty to two counts of failing to declare changes in her personal circumstances. The jury was formally discharged from considering verdicts on the three remaining counts of making false representation to obtain benefits.

She will be sentenced on the two counts of failing to declare changes in her circumstances on May 6.

Katherine Pierpoint, prosecuting, said an investigation was launched after Hoque had contacted the DWP early in May, 2012, to say her husband was back with his family after a reconciliation. The notification came just four days after Hoque’s sister-in-law had been arrested for benefit fraud.

The jury was told Hoque had every opportunity to come clean during the 10 years she was claiming, but continued to confirm her situation was unchanged - despite warnings she risked prosecution by lying.