News / International
Zim mother faces UK jail for being a UK benefits cheat
26 Apr 2013 at 06:48hrs | Views
A Zimbabwean mother of two who scooped £95,000 on TV's Deal or No Deal was warned she faced jail yesterday after tearfully admitting being a benefits cheat.
Caroline Banana, 40, pleaded guilty at North Staffordshire Magistrates Court to hiding the giant windfall she won on Noel Edmonds's Channel 4 gameshow.
The court heard Banana filled out a benefits form in April 2011, weeks after her appearance was filmed on March 22.
On a section of the form which asks applicants to declare any money they are owed, the ex-GP receptionist said she was not due any cash - despite her massive win just weeks before.
Banana won the cash on the Channel 4 programme telling viewers she would use her good fortune to buy her own home and help her family in Africa.
After her win, the mother of two, from Stoke-on-Trent, hugged host Noel Edmonds and posed for pictures with him and her husband Michael, 48.
Prosecutor Trevor Vernon told the court Banana had submitted the bogus income support claim in April 2011.
He said: 'The trigger to the whole episode was Miss Banana completing an income support application on the 12 April 2011.
'To the question "is there money owed to you or your children?" she ticked "no" on that form.
'This was quite clearly not the case because in March that year she won the £95,000 and was awaiting payment of that money and that payment was due in May.'
On the show, each contestant is assigned a numbered box which contains a cash value unknown to them or the audience.
During the game, they reject the other sealed boxes, which contain amounts ranging from 1p to £250,000, one by one, hoping not to lose the higher value sums.
The show's mysterious 'banker' regularly tries to tempt the contestant to 'deal' by making offers to buy their box depending on which sums remain in the game. Four other charges were dropped. She will be sentenced on 29 April.
Caroline Banana, 40, pleaded guilty at North Staffordshire Magistrates Court to hiding the giant windfall she won on Noel Edmonds's Channel 4 gameshow.
The court heard Banana filled out a benefits form in April 2011, weeks after her appearance was filmed on March 22.
On a section of the form which asks applicants to declare any money they are owed, the ex-GP receptionist said she was not due any cash - despite her massive win just weeks before.
Banana won the cash on the Channel 4 programme telling viewers she would use her good fortune to buy her own home and help her family in Africa.
After her win, the mother of two, from Stoke-on-Trent, hugged host Noel Edmonds and posed for pictures with him and her husband Michael, 48.
He said: 'The trigger to the whole episode was Miss Banana completing an income support application on the 12 April 2011.
'To the question "is there money owed to you or your children?" she ticked "no" on that form.
'This was quite clearly not the case because in March that year she won the £95,000 and was awaiting payment of that money and that payment was due in May.'
On the show, each contestant is assigned a numbered box which contains a cash value unknown to them or the audience.
During the game, they reject the other sealed boxes, which contain amounts ranging from 1p to £250,000, one by one, hoping not to lose the higher value sums.
The show's mysterious 'banker' regularly tries to tempt the contestant to 'deal' by making offers to buy their box depending on which sums remain in the game. Four other charges were dropped. She will be sentenced on 29 April.
Source - online
