Darwin Law Student Charged for Fraud
Thursday February 26, 2009
A Darwin law student pleaded guilty to fraud after unlawfully gaining financial support from the Commonwealth Government's Centrelink.
Caroline Burns, 43, claimed up to $9,000 from Centrelink between July 2005 and March 2008 without being eligible to do so, until an audit found she had no right to the money.
The Darwin law student was able to gain this money by not fully disclosing her wages. Her lawyer Peter Maley said in Darwin that she was under much pressure during the time she was receiving Centrelink allowances.
"She was managing and balancing raising two children, working part-time and studying," he said.
Magistrate Sue Oliver told Burns in Darwin, "There are many people in that situation right throughout the country who have to juggle competing interests, but they're still expected to play by the rules, and you have not done that."
"Extreme stress does not excuse the matter."
Burns has given back what she should not have taken and is now on a 12-month good behaviour bond in Darwin.
