Woman guilty of illegally subletting council home

A woman has been ordered to carry out 100 hours of community service after illegally subletting her council house.

Deborah Cox-Walker, 46, was provided with the home in Wellington Street, Oxford, in June 2023, but almost immediately began renting it out for profit.

Oxford City Council, which supplied the property, said Cox-Walker lived with her husband in Cheshire whilst earning £3,600 in illicit rent over five months.

Her scheme was brought to an end following an investigation by the council's counter fraud team.

Having initially denied the accusation, Cox-Walker pleaded guilty at Oxford Magistrates' Court.

At a hearing last month she was given a community order, which included 100 hours of unpaid work. She must also pay the council's costs - amounting to more than £2,000.

The former property of Cox-Walker, who now lives in the north-east of England, was returned to the council in March 2024, making it "available to someone who genuinely needed it", the authority said.

Councillor Ed Turner, Oxford City Council's deputy leader, said the case "highlights" the authority's "commitment to tackling housing fraud".

"By prosecuting offenders, we send a clear message that fraudulent activity will not be tolerated," he added.

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