"Gay for pay" woman convicted

A woman was convicted of benefits fraud against the Department for Work and Pensions and Swansea Council after she claimed she was a lesbian and had split from her husband.

Yvonne Lesley Butler from Swansea claimed almost Ј20,000 in income support, housing benefit and council tax benefits between 2003 and 2006. She said that her husband Islwyn Butler had left her after she came out.

In reality, the pair were still living together, although he had briefly moved out of the marital home. She told the authorities that she was a lesbian.

The 53-year-old grandmother admitted two offences of not notifying authorities of changes that would have affected her entitlement to benefits under the Social Security Administration Act.

Her nine-month jail term was suspended for 18 months on the basis that Bulter is the sole carer of her grandson.