Sara Morris claimed the severity of her MS left her unable to stand, but she regularly ran 5km and 10km races, a court heard.
A mother from Stoke-on-Trent who falsely claimed more than £20,000 in benefits while posting social media pictures of her running marathons, has been ordered to repay the money.
Sara Morris, 50 and from Stone, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2005. But in 2020 she exaggerated the extent of her condition and claimed Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
The mother-of-three lied about the extent of her condition, saying she wasn’t able to stand at the cooker, lacked balance and had difficulties getting out of the bathtub unassisted. She also claimed to be anxious when she left the house, saying a trip to the pharmacy to collect her medication left her in tears. Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard she was paid £2,292.63 in PIP a month.
But she failed to inform the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) that she was a member of the Stone Master Marathoners, and regularly ran 5km and 10km races. She was exposed by her own Facebook posts of her running.
Morris was overpaid £20,528.83 in benefits between October 20th 2020 and April 25th 2023.
She pleaded guilty to dishonestly making a false statement to obtain a benefit, and was jailed for eight months last July.She has now re-appeared at the same court for a Proceeds of Crime hearing.
Judge Graeme Smith was told Morris benefited from her criminality by £22,386.02, and the available amount was £60,000.
Morris was ordered to repay £22,386.02 within 28 days, or serve nine months in prison in default.
