Café owner benefit cheat jailed for 18 months

Lisa Annette White, aged 56, and her husband Andrew Mark White, also 56, lived in a secret seafront apartment in Kent and ran two cafes while Lisa claimed that she was actually sharing a council house with her mother in Eltham.

After an investigation in 2014, it was found that Lisa was claiming benefits for numerous disabilities she wasn’t entitled to. These included:

• Disability Living Allowance
• Incapacity Benefit
• Employment Support Allowance.

Footage showed that despite claiming she couldn’t breathe without an oxygen tank, had to be looked after by a carer (namely her husband), used a walking stick indoors and a wheelchair outside, Lisa was seen to carry stock for her café unaided. She was also caught on camera singing and dancing to a Mariah Carey song, without any assistance.

She was also shown on CCTV with a walking stick, as she went in to apply for her council house. It was unbeknown to the council office that she and her husband were actually enjoying their very own secret life, complete with bought apartment and business premises.

Lisa pleaded guilty to the accusations during the three-hour hearing at Inner London Crown Court, which included nine counts of fraud, money laundering and failure to notify the council of a change in circumstances.

Her husband Andrew also received a nine months sentence, which has been suspended for two years. This was for aiding and abetting his wife’s false representation and money laundering which amounted to £12,800.

Judge Tudor Owen said during the hearing – ‘She’s dancing around. I can see why she’s happy. If I was getting money for nothing, I’d be happy.’ He also felt that she only showed remorse for being caught – not for the crime committed.

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