East Lothian mum-of-six gifted £3k by community to buy medical helmet for baby son is jailed for £55k benefits fraud

A mum-of-six who was gifted close to £3,000 by her local community to buy a specially designed helmet for her baby son has been jailed following a six year benefit fraud.
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Rosanna Anderson swindled a massive £55,000 after failing to inform the Department of Work and Pensions [DWP] she was living with her then-partner in the family home.

Anderson, who has five children and is step-mum to one, claimed the excess Child Tax Credits payments while living with her ex Stuart McTaggart at a house in Tranent.

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The 31-year-old was jailed this week after she admitted to claiming £55,000 in child tax credits she was not entitled to between May 2012 and January 2018.

Rosanna Anderson swindled a massive £55,000 after failing to inform the Department of Work and Pensions [DWP] she was living with her then-partner in the family home.Rosanna Anderson swindled a massive £55,000 after failing to inform the Department of Work and Pensions [DWP] she was living with her then-partner in the family home.
Rosanna Anderson swindled a massive £55,000 after failing to inform the Department of Work and Pensions [DWP] she was living with her then-partner in the family home.

Anderson had pleaded guilty to the fraud when she appeared in front of sheriff Wendy Sheehan at the Capital’s sheriff court in January.

She returned to the dock for sentencing on Monday where she was led to the cells in tears by security staff after being jailed for 12 months.

The court case comes just one month after Anderson and partner Gordon Duncan were handed £2,839 following a fundraising appeal to help their six-month-old son.

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The child was diagnosed with torticollis, a tightening of the neck, and flat head syndrome in December and the specially designed helmet was recommended for his development.

Locals dug deep during the fundraising campaign and the cost of the helmet, which is not available on the NHS, was raised through a Just Giving page and cash gifts in just a few weeks.

Anderson regularly posted updates and photographs of her son’s progress on social media and the tot was fitted with the helmet by tech company Technology In Motion last month.

A grandmother, who did not want to be named and had contributed to the charity effort, admits “the whole community has been let down” by learning of Anderson’s cheating.

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The woman, 58, said: “We would never have suspected Rosanna was cheating the system to such an extent.

“She has embezzled more than £50,000 and we all feel it is a bit of a cheek accepting cash from people who have had to work hard to earn that.

“Everyone has been feeling the pinch over the last year and it is a sacrifice to give money to charity at the moment.

“But we all raised the cash in double quick time as it is such a worthy cause and the baby really needed the helmet.

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“But Rosanna has let her family down and let all of Tranent down with her benefits scam. It is a real shame for her and her family for her to get jailed but, to be honest, she deserves it.”

Rosanna Anderson pleaded guilty to being knowingly concerned in fraudulent activity by claiming excess payments of Child Tax Credits of £55,000 by failing to declare she was living with Stuart McTaggart, her then-partner, between May 15, 2012 and January 19, 2018.

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