Queensland mother-of-four, 51, who rorted $114,000 in welfare she wasn’t entitled to is jailed

A mother-of-four who played the Centrelink system for five years only has to pay back half the money she claimed dishonestly.

Elizabeth Ann Stewart will spend eight months in prison after she claimed $114,000 in welfare payments she wasn’t entitled to. 

The 51-year-old, from Queensland, pleaded guilty to four counts of claiming financial advantage by deception and was ordered to pay $53,978.85 to Centrelink, the Sunshine Coast Daily reported.  

Elizabeth Ann Stewart (pictured) will spend eight months in prison after she claimed $114,000 in welfare payments she wasn’t entitled to

Stewart and her husband stole the money over a period of five years, beginning in 2009. 

The now separated couple ‘under-declared’ their earnings and lied to the government organisation on four occasions.

Stewart, who is an aged-care nurse, was caught out by a data-matching system and notified her over the over payments she had received. 

Stewart, who is an aged-care nurse, was caught out by a data-matching system

Instead of going to her local Centrelink branch to fix the issue, she continued to falsely claim for the next six months

Instead of going to her local Centrelink branch to fix the issue, she continued to falsely claim for the next six months.   

Crown prosecutor Bruce Mumford said she didn’t lead a ‘lavish life’ but because she falsely claimed for so long, they couldn’t determine whether it was ‘out of character’.   

Mr Mumford said because of her health conditions, including asthma, she wouldn’t be able to spend too long in jail.   

Stewart and her husband relied on the Centrelink benefits and they were sometimes their main source of income.

Her employer said she was of good character, a ‘hard-worker’ and a ‘good contributor’ to the community.

Mr Mumford said because of her health conditions, including asthma , she wouldn’t be able to spend too long in jail

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk