A WOMAN who defrauded taxpayers out of nearly £10,000 while lavishing cash on cosmetic surgery and £4,000 exercise bike has been sentenced to do 150 hours of unpaid work.

Mercedes Bradley, 31 worked as cabin crew for a budget airline and claimed Universal Credit benefits – even though she had £48,000 in a secret bank where she received payments from ex-boyfriends.

One of them transferred more than £30,000 to the 31-year-old from Cinderford, Gloucester Crown Court heard.

She pleaded guilty on Thursday (November 24) to failing to declare capital after Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) investigators caught up with her and brought her life in the fast lane to an end.

Bradley, of Ironworks Close, admitted dishonestly failing to notify the DWP of capital savings or investments which would affect entitlement to Universal Credit between March 26 2020 and August 26 2021.

“Bradley used the stolen taxpayer cash to live on while spending tens of thousands of pounds on cosmetic surgery including a breast lift and designer dental work,” said a DWP spokesperson.

“After receiving a tip-off, DWP’s Financial Investigation Unit team questioned Bradley. She claimed the payments were from various ex-boyfriends, who transferred her £47,780 in total.

““DWP also discovered Bradley used the money to pay for luxuries such as a personal trainer and a £4,000 Peloton exercise bike, as well as the monthly subscription.

“This was all while fraudulently claiming a total of £9,147.11 in Universal Credit between March 2020 and August 2021. Bradley had been claiming the benefit legitimately from June 2018 to March 2020.

“Universal Credit rules state that any claimant must not have any capital higher than £16,000 to be eligible.’’

Bradley, was sentenced to a 12-month community order with a requirement of 150 hours unpaid work. She will also face a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing in the Spring.

Karl Williams, defending, said: “When she separated from her partner she made a legitimate claim for benefits. She moved from Swindon to where her family were living in the Cinderford area.

“This had a significant effect on her mental health. Fortunately, two of her previous partners were able to help her out financially and gave her in the region of £50,000. This is what affected her benefit entitlement.”

“She has since lost her employment as an air hostess with Easy Jet but, more significantly, with Virgin Atlantic she is now unable to fly to America as this conviction will prohibit her from doing so.

‘‘She has effectively lost her career as an air hostess, a career that was rather dear to her.  She describes herself as somebody who easily gets bored and working in the airline industry kept her occupied.

“Her mother helped look after her child when she was flying long distance. She has also worked as a dental nurse and as a recruit as a fire-fighter in Gloucestershire.

“She pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity. She lives in rented accommodation and is making regular payments back to the Department of Work and Pensions, which currently amounts to just over £400. She is in stricken circumstances.

“She has been assessed at low risk of re-offending. I believe there are suitable alternatives to a prison sentence within the community.”

The Judge, Recorder Don Tait, told Bradley: “It’s a sad day when a woman, who has not been in trouble before, finds herself at Gloucester Crown Court.

‘‘It’s your own fault of course, but you must understand that benefits are paid out of taxpayers’ money.

“You have in the past been in employment and it seems to me that the circumstances in this case merit a community order and unpaid work requirement.

“I understand that you are relatively fit. That is probably due to purchasing the Peloton bike!”

Bradley was warned that she faced proceedings as part of the Proceeds of Crime Act which will be heard on April 28, 2023.

Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, Tom Pursglove MP, said “I’m pleased to see justice being done in this case where DWP investigators have successfully tracked down a prolific fraudster who was clearly taking the taxpayer for a ride.

“Benefit fraud is a crime that diverts money away from those who really need it, which is why we’re investing £600 million to prevent, detect, and deter fraudsters.”

“This sentencing shows how the DWP is using all the powers at our disposal to catch fraudsters and protect the public purse.”

The DWP spokesperson added: “DWP has always been committed to tackling fraud and takes abuse of taxpayer’s money very seriously. Earlier this year the Department launched a robust plan to further drive down fraud and error from the benefits system.

“The “Fighting Fraud in the Welfare System” plan bolsters the counter-fraud frontline significantly with measures including the hiring of 2,000 trained specialists to review millions of Universal Credit claims, estimated to prevent around £2 billion in fraud over three years.

“Additional actions include requirements for organisations, such as banks, to share data securely on an increased scale to check levels of savings and whether claimants are living abroad. There are also plans to increase DWP officers’ powers to conduct searches, seize evidence, and make arrests.

“The new plan will extend the DWP’s powers and improve its ability to access information, significantly strengthening the Department’s ability to drive fraud out of the benefit system and protect the public purse.