A BENEFITS cheat who falsely claimed £12,709 from the council has been sentenced to serve 240 hours of community punishment and ordered to pay back the money.
Margaret Flood, aged 36, of West Drive, Great Sankey, pleaded guilty to benefit fraud at Runcorn Magistrates' Court last Monday.
She was claiming benefits as a single person when she was in fact living with her partner.
Between May 2000 and May 2003, Flood defrauded Warrington Borough Council of £10,780 Housing Benefit and £1,929 Council Tax Benefit.
Flood was also ordered to pay £150 costs.
Adrian Webster, the council's benefits manager, said: "There are no ifs, no buts when it comes to benefit fraud.
"Deliberately withholding information that affects your claim is stealing.
"That's why we are targeting benefit thieves.
"Benefit thieves must realise that they cannot abuse the benefit system and steal from the rest of society.
"They are not just defrauding the Government, but their own tax-paying neighbours and communities in Warrington."
People in Warrington can give information about alleged fraudsters free and in confidence on the National Benefit Fraud Hotline on 0800 854440.
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