Benefits cheat with 'crushing disability' caught after being photographed on a horse

A fraudster who raked in over £30,000 in benefits for a crushing disability was caught - after she was pictured horse riding.

Michelle Hanney, 51, had claimed she could only walk between 20m (65ft) and 50m (165ft) metres and needed to use a wheelchair when going outside. She was then awarded both Personal Independence Payments and Universal Credit totalling £33,711.24 between May 2021 and August last year.

But Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) investigators became suspicious of Hanney when they spotted a photo of her sitting atop a stallion on Facebook. And during a surveillance operation, they took further pictures of her walking freely alongside a pony at a stables.

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Hanney, from Rotherham, pleaded guilty to fraudulent activity at Sheffield Magistrates Court and was given a 12-month community order. She was prosecuted on the basis of a lesser amount, £10,384.50, which the DWP say it will now try to recoup, but the overpayment still stands at £33,711.24.

Benefits fraudster Michelle Hanney riding a horseBenefits fraudster Michelle Hanney riding a horse
Benefits fraudster Michelle Hanney riding a horse

Tom Pursglove MP, the minister responsible for tackling fraud, said the conviction was an example of how the government was cracking down on benefit cheats.

He said: "The vast majority of disability benefit claims are correct, and we know the difference that these benefits can make to people. However, there is a small minority of people out to cheat the system.

"This conviction is another example of our relentless focus on finding those taking the taxpayer for a ride and bringing them to justice."