Hawick woman denies £37,000 benefit fraud

A woman has been accused of receiving £37,000 in benefits she was not entitled to.

Danielle Johnstone, 23, of Cheviot Road, Hawick, is alleged to have received £11,470 in housing benefit between January 2014 and June 2017 by falsely claiming she lived alone.

It is also claimed she said she was living alone while claiming child tax and working tax credits to the value of £25,416 despite cohabiting with a man as husband and wife.

A trial date has been set for February 6 at Jedburgh Sheriff Court.