A civil servant named Kristy Merner, aged 44, has received a suspended 12-month jail term for stealing over £7,000 from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP).
While working at the department, Merner diverted 20 payments of employment support allowance into her personal bank account. She claimed her actions were driven by a gambling addiction, which she said had spiraled out of control.
Merner, from Crosby, pleaded guilty to fraud in Liverpool Crown Court. She was sentenced to a 12-month jail term suspended for 18 months and ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work, engage in 20 days of rehabilitation activity, and participate in a six-month program to address her issues.