Ellen Howard: Cessnock woman pleads not guilty to $104,000 bushfire relief fraud

Court documents alleged Ellen Howard had a notebook detailing the fraudulent payments on her at the time of her arrest.

Ellen Howard did not appear in Cessnock Local Court on Wednesday as a lawyer entered a not guilty plea on her behalf. Picture: Emily Burley.

An Aberdare woman who allegedly defrauded Service NSW of more than $100,000 in bushfire and COVID-19 relief funds has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Ellen Louise Howard did not appear in Cessnock Local Court on Wednesday as a lawyer entered the plea on her behalf.

The 31-year-old has been in custody since her arrest last month but is expected to make an application for bail in two weeks’ time.

Howard was arrested on November 27 and charged with 16 counts of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception.

Ellen Howard was allegedly granted $104,000 in bushfire relief funds she was not entitled to. Picture: Darren Pateman.

Court documents alleged Howard used multiple bank accounts and email addresses to apply for 34 relief payments she was not entitled to, between March and September this year.

She was allegedly granted $104,000, but had applied for a further $258,000 in relief funds in New South Wales and interstate.

The documents said Howard allegedly had a notebook containing details of the bank accounts, email address and payments on her, at the time of her arrest.

The police prosecutor told the court Howard was serving an intensive corrections order for fraud at the time of the new alleged offences, and had previously been subject to multiple arrest warrants after failing to appear in court.

She will return to court on December 23.