Chelsey Harwood
Chelsey Harwood, a male who identifies as a trans woman, was convicted of three benefit fraud offences at Liverpool Crown Court in April 2017. Harwood, 29, was sentenced to four months imprisonment suspended for two years and placed under supervision for two years.
Harwood, a reality TV star, had falsely claimed £25,156 of employment support and housing benefit between April 2013 and January 2016.
Judge Menary, sentencing said “I recognise your gender issues have complicated your life to this point and created challenges in the past. The unhealthy celebrity lifestyle you have sought to create means you have been living in a fantasy world.”
In contrast, a judge in a recent similar case involving a similar amount of fraudulently obtained benefits said there were no grounds to suspend the sentence, and Dene Michael was jailed for six months.
The judge also ordered Harwood to carry out 20 days rehabilitation activities and 100 hours unpaid work and imposed a two month curfew between 9 – 6 am with an electronic tag
When asked whether taxpayers deserved an apology, The Liverpool Echo quotes Harwood as “not one little bit sorry”.
Harwood was subsequently jailed in a women’s prison, HMP Styal, for three months in July 2017 on failing to attend community service after refusing to get the bus with “scallies”.
Photo via Liverpool Echo
Media reports:
Liverpool Echo http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/chelsey-harwood-im-not-one-12925926
Liverpool Echo http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/benefits-cheat-chelsey-harwood-jailed-13273774
Liverpool Echo http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/benefits-cheat-chelsey-harwood-serve-13274910
Daily Mirror http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/botched-up-bodies-star-chelsey-10269051