Nolan sister to pay back £4k in court caution

Nolan forgot to tell the authorities about her earnings from an ‘Agony Aunt’ column and an appearance fee for TV’s Family Fortunes.

Magistrates ordered three charges of benefit fraud facing the 54-year-old be withdrawn at Blackpool magistrates court yesterday.

The charges against Nolan were in her married name of Hudson and dated back to 2012 when she first started to claim housing and council tax benefit from the local authority.

Nichola Morgan, prosecuting for Blackpool Council, said a decision to persue Nolan through the courts had been made following more evidence being provided by her lawyer about her past and current medical condition.

The prosecutor told the court: “Following these respresentations it was decided to offer Miss Hudson an official caution.

“That notice of caution has now been signed by her as an admission of her guilt.

“The money involved is being repaid.”

The charges involved a total of £4,000. Further charges brought by the Department of Work and Pensions involving £8,000 of disabled living allowance were dropped two months ago as not being in the public interest.

The £8,000 has been repaid to the DWP by the Nolan family.

Hudson, of Park Road, Blackpool was not in court at the third and final hearing of her cases.

Her lawyer Steven Townley said: “The defence put in an argument about these allegations being brought out of time, however, we are now prepared to put this to one side.

“We have given current and historical medical evidence to the council and this has put the matter to rest.”