Crying, screaming and struggling, a young woman had to be dragged away from a benefit fraudster who was jailed today for two years and five months.
The young woman burst into tears and rushed forward from the public seats in Christchurch District Court as sentence was passed on Suzanne Marie Lawrie, 43, who illegally obtained benefits totalling $213,359.
She hugged Lawrie and would not let her go, screaming "Leave her alone" at court escort staff before she was prised loose and hauled from the courtroom by other supporters.
She remained in tears, being comforted in the waiting area outside.
Judge Jane Farish said Lawrie's frauds had gone on since 1995 and she had many opportunities to tell the social welfare authorities about her change of circumstances.
"It was a serious breach of trust," she said.
"I need to deter you and also others from thinking that it is an easy option to take money from the department. I need to balance your needs and the needs of others."
Lawrie went on to the domestic purposes benefit in 1995. She was in a relationship in which there were difficulties and a lack of financial support. She was effectively there as a flatmate and had to pay rent and support the children. She also suffered from depression and other issues.
"You were clearly someone who was very much struggling with the circumstances. As a result you relied on the DPB to keep you secure, but in doing so you lied to the department on numerous occasions," said the judge.
The court was told earlier that Lawrie spent six years working for her partner's firm.
The judge noted that other support would have been available. This meant that the total loss to the department would have been slightly less than the figure before the court.
The relationship had now ended. Lawrie had initially taken steps to obtain relationship property but had now abandoned those proceedings.
She pleaded guilty in September to 15 charges including wilfully omitting to tell the department of a change in circumstances and dishonestly using documents.
The department accepted that there was no realistic chance that she could pay the money back, so Judge Farish made a $10,000 reparation order instead with payments of $20 a week to begin four weeks after her release from prison.
