THE jailing of a woman from Winsford who received more than £6,000 in benefits by providing fake documents has been welcomed by council bosses.

Pauline Brown, 50, of Chiltern Way, was handed a six-month prison sentence for wrongly receiving thousands of pounds in housing and Council Tax benefits between February 2003 and October 2004.

Brown, who also uses the names Dinning and Margett, pleaded guilty to six offences in Northwich Magistrates' Court on June 12 and council chiefs are delighted with the sentence.

Borough councillor Les Ford said: "I am pleased to see yet another custodial sentence imposed for benefit fraud.

"Housing and Council Tax benefits are public funds and those who defraud benefits are stealing from the citizens of Vale Royal."

Brown forged her partner's signature to falsely claim benefits and failed to inform the council that she was in employment.

She also failed to report she was receiving tax benefits from the Inland Revenue and that her partner was receiving a pension from his former employer. Derek MacDonald, defending, told magistrates Brown accepted sole responsibility for intentionally receiving the benefits.

The court also heard Brown has a number of similar previous convictions and committed the offence while serving a rehabilitation order.

Clr Ford hopes the sentence will act as a warning for anyone else wrongly receiving benefits.

He said: "Magistrates treat these offences against tax payers with the seriousness that they merit and this latest custodial sentence should be a warning to others."

To report someone involved in benefit fraud, call 01606 353535 anonymously or email fraud@valeroyal.gov.uk.