Ayr benefit cheat humiliated by community service

Dec 19 2008

A BENEFITS cheat refused to do her community service because she found it humiliating.

Lynda McIntosh admitted to a sheriff that she would rather buy her way out of trouble than carry out the court’s order.

McIntosh, 44, appeared at Ayr Sheriff Court this week after breaching the community service order dealt to her in March this year.

It came after she admitted cheating the taxpayer out of income support, housing benefit and council tax benefit.

She pleaded guilty to continuing to claim the benefits after she gained employment at Momentum Care Services based in Wellington Square back in August 2005.

After the offences came to light, McIntosh was lucky to be spared from a prison sentence and given 100 hours of community service.

But this week at Ayr Sheriff Court she was asked directly by Sheriff John Montgomery why she had refused to comply with the order.

He said: “Did you think if you didn’t do this you’d just get a slap on the wrists?”

McIntosh replied: “The truth is, I found it humiliating. Comments were made to me that if I didn’t want to do it I could come back to court and that I might be given probation or a fine.”

But Sheriff Montgomery slammed her explanation, retorting: “It’s supposed to be humiliating. You are on the brink of going to Cornton Vale today. Do you realise that?”

Sheriff Montgomery gave McIntosh, of Ayr’s Mount Oliphant Crescent, one more chance by revoking the original order and giving her 80 hours of community service.

But he warned her that if she breached the order she will go to jail.