A WOMAN who claimed income support, council tax and housing benefit when she had £100,000 in savings has been given a suspended sentence.

Miranda Hewett, 52, appeared at Dorchester Crown Court after admitting failing to notify the Department for Work and Pensions and Purbeck District Council of a change in circumstances that she knew would affect her entitlement to benefits.

Prosecutor Tim Bradbury told the court that the offences related to a period between March 2008 and July last year when Hewett, of Southbrook, Bere Regis, was claiming benefits when she had capital well in excess £16,000, which was the limit at the time for anyone claiming income support.

He said that at one stage she had in excess of £100,000 in savings. Mr Bradbury added that the total amount Hewett had received in benefits during that time was around £46,000.

Hewett initially denied the allegations when confronted by the Department for Work and Pensions but later revealed she had inherited much of the money from her mother’s estate.

Lee Christmas, mitigating, said she had already made £46,000 available to repay the money she had received in benefits over the four-year period. He added that his client had a long history of chronic pain and depression and had not lived an extravagant lifestyle.

Judge Roger Jarvis imposed a 24-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months.