A benefits fraudster has avoided jail after falsely claiming more than £48,000 in Universal Credit.
Leanne Charlton, 44, from Gateshead, admitted dishonesty by making false representations to obtain benefit on the opening day of her trial.
Newcastle Crown Court heard she lied about both owning a home and having savings in her application.
The mother-of-two was spared immediate imprisonment - despite what the judge called an "outrageous" abuse of the benefits system.
In May 2019, Charlton made a claim for universal credit, prosecutor Ian Cook said.
She answered "no" when asked if she had any savings or investments, including a house, before signing the document.
She also claimed she was paying her father £400 a month in rent.
The court heard all three statements were lies.
Charlton actually owned a property which she was letting out, had £10,000 in savings, and was receiving £390 a month from her father.
Over the following three-and-a-half years, she received £48,074.85 in universal credit.
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In that time, her savings increased to more than £18,000 before an investigation by the Department for Work & Pensions revealed her deception.
When challenged, Charlton claimed she had misread the application form.
Judge Rippon said Charlton did "not need the money" but was making "gravy", and described her "abuse" of the benefits system as "appalling" and "absolutely outrageous".
She told the court that other people who genuinely needed benefits were being "thwarted" by false claimants like Charlton.
"You deserve a prison sentence," Judge Rippon told Charlton - but added her two young children did not.
"They are the only reason you are not going to prison today," the judge said.
She warned Charlton that any breaches of her suspended sentence would result in jail time and her children being taken into care.
Charlton was sentenced to 18 months in prison, suspended for two years, and was also ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work.
The court will hold a proceeds of crime hearing at a future date to determine recovery of the fraudulently claimed benefits.
Find Out More...
Leanne Charlton, 44, from Gateshead, admitted dishonesty by making false representations to obtain benefit on the opening day of her trial.
Newcastle Crown Court heard she lied about both owning a home and having savings in her application.
The mother-of-two was spared immediate imprisonment - despite what the judge called an "outrageous" abuse of the benefits system.
In May 2019, Charlton made a claim for universal credit, prosecutor Ian Cook said.
She answered "no" when asked if she had any savings or investments, including a house, before signing the document.
She also claimed she was paying her father £400 a month in rent.
The court heard all three statements were lies.
Charlton actually owned a property which she was letting out, had £10,000 in savings, and was receiving £390 a month from her father.
Over the following three-and-a-half years, she received £48,074.85 in universal credit.
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In that time, her savings increased to more than £18,000 before an investigation by the Department for Work & Pensions revealed her deception.
When challenged, Charlton claimed she had misread the application form.
Judge Rippon said Charlton did "not need the money" but was making "gravy", and described her "abuse" of the benefits system as "appalling" and "absolutely outrageous".
She told the court that other people who genuinely needed benefits were being "thwarted" by false claimants like Charlton.
"You deserve a prison sentence," Judge Rippon told Charlton - but added her two young children did not.
"They are the only reason you are not going to prison today," the judge said.
She warned Charlton that any breaches of her suspended sentence would result in jail time and her children being taken into care.
Charlton was sentenced to 18 months in prison, suspended for two years, and was also ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work.
The court will hold a proceeds of crime hearing at a future date to determine recovery of the fraudulently claimed benefits.
Find Out More...