A married benefits cheat claimed nearly £80,000 by keeping her husband secretly hidden in her house for 17 years.
Janet Pritchard, 54, pretended to be a single mother to falsely claim state benefits from 1998 until 2015.
But for the entire time she and her husband David were living together with their children at their home in Gwent, Wales.
Janet Pritchard, 54, pretended to be a single mother to falsely claim state benefits from 1998 until 2015
Prosecutor Steven Donoghue said: ‘She claimed to be living as a single parent with children, but she was living with her husband all the time.
‘These were different types of benefits, including council tax benefits and child tax credits. She was caught, rather than stopping herself.
‘Among various items found in the house were a joint bank account, a Sky account and gas and electricity accounts.
‘There was also a loan agreement being paid from a joint account.
‘She said that throughout this period she accepted that her husband had been parking his vehicle outside and sleeping in the house, for the sake of the children.
‘She was preparing his meals and washing his clothes but she did not believe that amounted to him living there.’
Pritchard claimed nearly £80,000 by keeping her husband secretly hidden in her house for 17 years
Pritchard, from Tredegar in Gwent, Wales, admitted fraud at Newport Crown Court
Newport Crown Court heard that the total figure falsely claimed was £79,865.25.
Pritchard, from Tredegar in Gwent, Wales, admitted fraud.
But she avoided jail because she had remortgaged her house and raised £7,000 to start paying the money back.
She was given a suspended sentence of a year and three months.
Recorder Christopher Clee QC said: ‘You maintained you had done nothing wrong, which led to extensive inquiries that proved the case against you.
‘I hope you continue to repay these monies as best you can.’