Benefits cheat mum, 25, caught posting pics of her ‘dream’ wedding on Facebook despite claiming to be single and broke escapes jail
Snaps showed shameless Bowen posing in a white dress, smiling with bridesmaids and kissing her husband
A BENEFITS cheat mum caught out after posting pictures of her “dream” wedding on Facebook, despite claiming to be single and broke, has escaped jail.
Chanice Bowen, 25, was exposed as a fraud after posting a gallery of pictures to social media captioned "best years of my life, love my husband".
The snaps showed shameless Bowen posing in her white dress, smiling with bridesmaids and kissing her husband at the wedding venue.
A court heard that when asked where she was on the date of her wedding Bowen told Department of Work and Pensions officials "I can't remember".
She had been paid more than £20,000 in income support, council tax and housing benefits while claiming to be a single mum after splitting from her boyfriend.
Before the swindle was discovered Bowen had been married to the man, who had a job, for more than two years.
Prosecutor Andrew Davies said: "This is a case that was fraudulent from the outset.
"In January 2013 Bowen wrote a letter saying her partner had left the family home. As a result she received an increase in benefits as a single parent and someone not in work.
"But they married at the civil register office on October 10, 2013.
"In December 2015 she was interviewed under caution. She said she couldn't remember what she was doing on October 10 - the day of her marriage."
Bowen, pleaded guilty to three counts of dishonestly failing to disclose information after being overpaid a total of £21,696.76 between January 2013 and November 2015.
Today she walked free from court after a judge told her she had escaped custody by "a cat's whisker".
Judge Stephen Hopkins QC told Bowen, of Barry, South Wales, had told Bowen she acted out of "greed" rather than "need".
But, he chose to suspend a 10-month prison sentence for two years as jailing her would have an "enormous" effect on her daughter.
He ordered her to pay back every penny she had fraudulently taken and was told she had managed to pay back £2,000 in the last year.
Bowen will also complete 120 hours of unpaid work and pay court costs of £520 within three months.
If you suspect someone of fraudulently claiming benefits, then call the National Benefit Fraud Hotline on 0800 854 440.
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