Essential help for poorer families?

A senior social worker filled her home with thousands of pounds worth of appliances, toys, games and clothes after fraudulently claiming for the goods on behalf of needy people in North-east Scotland.

Jennifer Stephen initially denied two charges of fraud against Aberdeenshire Council, but when she appeared in court again she admitted defrauding the local authority of nearly £9,000.

She led Aberdeenshire Council’s Social Work Department to believe that legitimate case-related expenditure was to be incurred for several items that were never supplied to clients - racking up goods which amounted to £8,885.78 between September 26, 2005 and August 15, 2008. She was suspended from her senior position in 2008 following an internal investigation.

It didn't come to court until 2011.

Over a three-year period, she induced people at the social work department at Peterhead to sign off “financial assistance” forms. These purchase orders were used to obtain goods that should have been for clients of the social work department.

Procurator fiscal, Sarah O’Gallagher, said Stephen was responsible for 35 such transactions.

Now see what purchases the social work department signed off at taxpayers' expense.

The court heard that a transaction made on October 3, 2005, related to a rowing machine purchased for a client which amounted to £783. On the financial assistance form filled out, 47-year-old Stephen stated that the piece of gym equipment was required for two girls whose mother had been murdered, and whose father had been imprisoned for her murder. She stated that the girls had suffered extreme trauma from this, manifesting itself in an eating disorder, and that some exercise would help. But it was also acknowledged on the form that a public gym would not be useful for the girls to attend, and so gym equipment at home was required.

But the client in question never received the rowing machine, and it was later discovered at Stephen’s property after a search was carried out.

On another occasion, a £199 tumble dryer was claimed - allegedly for a child who had a skin condition which was said to be difficult to control. It was stated on the expenses form that tumble drying clothes would be beneficial to the child. However, the family denied the child suffering from a skin condition altogether, and also never received the tumble dryer, the court heard.

The social worker even ordered school uniforms from Buchan Embroidery, claiming that they were for under-privileged families - but had them embroidered with the names of her own children.

Stephen also claimed for £2,100 worth of John Lewis vouchers, of which a washing machine, hand-held hoover, sofa, two double beds with mattresses, a variety of children’s toys, including an electronic scooter, and £1,300 worth of clothing, including school clothes and a football strip, was purchased.

Household goods were also among the expenses claimed, as well as a watch and a Wii Fit, and a keyboard complete with a stand.

The majority of these items have since been recovered from Stephen’s home. She was jailed for 28 months.

• Now of course she was wicked. But what is a local authority doing signing off such items in the first place?

htp: Dave