Palmerston North woman gets home detention for benefit fraudA Palmerston North mother pocketed nearly $60,000 in benefit overpayments when she lied about her relationship status. At the Palmerston North District Court on Thursday, Judge Gerard Lynch sentenced Priscilla Hunt to six months of home detention and 80 hours of community work. In December 2012, Hunt transferred from the sickness benefit to the domestic purposes benefit. The home detention and community service would serve as a deterrent, without placing undue hardship on Hunt's family. "[It's to] allow you to put something back into the community you offended against... [and] has the benefit of keeping you family together.

Source: Stuff October 27, 2016 18:51 UTC