A BENEFITS cheat who illegally obtained over £28,000 in handouts has been spared jail.

Preston Crown Court heard that Louise Raeburn carried out her dishonesty over a four year period.

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She wrongly claimed benefits at various times, relating to her four children when they had been taken into care.

A judge told her she had acted out of greed and spent all the money on alcohol.

The 32-year-old from Stanley Street, Accrington had pleaded guilty to three offences of failing to disclose a change in circumstances.

Mark Stephenson, prosecuting, said the total amount in the case was £28,293 and offences covered a period from August 2008 to September 2012.

Her claim for Child Tax Credit was legitimate when it was first made in 2005. Payments increased following the birth of her second child.

Her offending began about five months after her third child was born.

Raeburn failed to tell the authorities two of her children had been taken into care.

The third child also went on to be placed in care. However, her claim continued on the basis that she still had all three children.

Then she began claiming Income Support. She went on to have a fourth child which also ended up in care. The offending continued.

Raeburn was given 30 weeks prison, suspended for 18 months, with 12 months supervision, an alcohol treatment programme and a four month long nightly curfew.