A FORMER NHS worker cheated £10,000 in benefits by lying about the extent of her mobility issues.

Dawn Fraser claimed she was "virtually unable to walk" and needed assistance with everyday tasks such as cooking, washing and dressing herself.

But after an anonymous tip to the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), it was discovered she wasn't as immobile as she claimed.

Fraser, 55, of Inchgarvie Crescent, Dunfermline, admitted previously that on August 5, 2015, and August 5, 2016, at her home address, Pitcorthie Drive and Queensferry Road, Rosyth, she knowingly failed to give prompt notification in the prescribed manner to the Department for Work and Pensions of a change of circumstances which she knew affected her entitlement to benefit or other payment, namely Disability Living Allowance, in that she failed to report significant improvements in her mobility and ability to manage declared incapacities/disabilities resulting in a reduction in the care and assistance she required from others to perform everyday tasks, tasks which she has regularly performed without care and assistance from another and she did obtain said benefit in the sum of £10,000 to which she was not entitled.

Depute fiscal Dev Kapadia explained to the Dunfermline Sheriff Court that Fraser had claimed Disability Allowance amounting to £10,000 which was not due to her.

After making claims in 2005 and 2006, she was awarded the highest rate of benefit for an indefinite period.

She told the DWP that she was "virtually unable to walk" and needed help, Mr Kapadia said, and that these medical symptoms were caused by chronic fatigue, bladder and bowel issues, muscular problem, stress and anxiety.

Fraser also stated she would often suffer from dizziness, that she had problems moving about, and that she required help getting in and out of bed, washing and dressing, cooking and cleaning.

"She said she could walk 100 yards on a good day but on a bad day only 50," Mr Kapadia said.

The court was told of other claims she had made which also stated that she was in danger of hurting herself and was virtually housebound.

Mr Kapadia added that Fraser would receive regular information from DWP asking to notify them if her circumstances changed.

"They (DWP) received an anonymous tip about the extent of her mobility issues and said she had a previous conviction for benefit fraud," he said.

DWP asked Fife Council and they confirmed that she had undertaken unpaid work in 2016, performing duties such as gardening and decorating.

She was also seen walking unaided, driving a car, doing housework and not seemingly having the difficulties she had described.

The department also took a statement from a neighbour who said that there were no signs of Fraser's disability.

The DWP accepted that Fraser had health conditions but not to the extent that she said, leading her to live a "normal life", the court heard.

Following the investigation, the awarded benefit was stopped.

Sheriff Alastair Brown wanted to know why it had taken an anonymous report to the DWP before the government agency realised Fraser was claiming, particularly as she had a conviction for benefit fraud.

He was also perplexed as to why it had taken them so long to investigate and in turn why it had taken so long to come before the court.

Mr Kapadia said the previous conviction related to a claim for her child but he had no explanation for the delay.

Defence solicitor Roshni Joshi said this was a "complicated case on many levels" and she had continued the case on Fraser's behalf without a plea in 2018 to wait for more information.

"What is in dispute here is not her health but the extent of her needs," she said.

"There was an unwillingness to say she was well as she still needs to go to the hospital.

"She was previously in employment working in the NHS.

"She had been on serious medication for a number of years and she came off that medication against the advice of her doctor because of the way it made her feel.

"She had a number of difficulties with her child and there are reports confirming that.

"She had a number of issues for a number of years but accepts that her good days became more prevalent.

"She is quite simply embarrassed to be here."

Sheriff Brown said: "There is a duty on a person that is claiming benefits to keep the department informed about their circumstances.

"In this case, it's your state of health and its effect on you.

"It's quite clear that you should have been telling them what was happening.

"I record the strong disapproval of the court and the public because of your failure to tell the department.

"However, the law says that it should be dealt with within a reasonable time.

"The remedy is to reduce the sentence if it is through no fault of the accused.

"I simply don't understand why, when you were convicted in 2015, the DWP did not pay you special attention.

"I do not understand why it took until 2017 to interview and why it took until 2018 for it to be taken to court.

"It may be that there are good explanations but they have not been put before me.

"In all the circumstances and without in any way suggesting that this was nothing but a serious matter, I will place you on a restriction of liberty order for two months."

Sheriff Brown added that it was up to the DWP to decide if they would make a civil court claim for the funds.