Benefit cheat caught

9:57am Thursday 15th December 2005

A FRAUDSTER who cheated the council out of £19,370 has been ordered to complete 100 hours of community service.

Farida Sebaduka admitted benefit fraud at Woolwich Crown Court.

She was arrested following an anonymous tip-off to Lewisham Council and her home in Hexal Road, Catford, was raided by police in April last year.

The court heard how the 31-year-old had worked at Sainsbury's Savacentre in Sydenham for more than four years using a false name and National Insurance number.

Sebaduka was claiming benefits at the same time.

She was sentenced to an 18-month community rehabilitation order and a 100 hours community punishment order on November 21.

Lewisham Council's A-FACT team, which was formed in March 2004, has prosecuted 60 people who have falsely claimed a total of £186,000 in benefits.