A woman who says she was tricked by a Labour Party official into accepting social benefits she was not entitled to ended up taking out a loan to pay back the amount, a court heard on Friday.

The 63-year-old woman appeared before Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech charged with having accepted around €15,000 in social benefits she was not entitled to in 2020.

She is one of hundreds of people investigated for having taken part in a massive benefits scam that was made public by Times of Malta last year.

Her lawyer, Jason Azzopardi, told the court that the Tarxien woman had been approached by a Labour Party representative during a political activity in Paola.

The party representative, who was dressed in a suit and tie, approached the woman close to the church of Christ the King as she walked along Triq Guże D'Amato in Paola. A Labour Party political activity was underway in the square at the time.

Azzopardi told the court that the suited man asked her whether she suffered from any illnesses and whether she needed any assistance. When she told him that she had been battling major depression for many years, the man told her “we’re going to help you.”

He then handed her a form, asked her to sign it, and told her to leave the rest to the Labour Party, because they were there to help people.

A few days later, the woman was called to appear before a medical board. Following a “three-minute interview”, the woman was informed that she was eligible for benefits. She was told that she would start receiving payments soon, which she did.

Azzopardi told the court that his client was intellectually challenged and a “victim of her circumstances”.

When she learnt that she was not entitled to the money she was receiving, she took out a €10,000 loan to pay back the amount she had been tricked into accepting, her lawyer argued.

The woman pleaded guilty to the charges brought against her, saying that she thought she was truly eligible for the extra payments.

In submissions on punishment, Azzopardi asked the court to examine this case closely, insisting that the woman had been misled and tricked into accepting something for which she was not entitled. He said a suspended sentence, together with a probation or community service order was more than enough in the circumstances.

Magistrate Frendo Dimech put off the case to April 23 for sentencing.

Police Inspector Andy Rotin prosecuted.