A MONEY launderer has been ordered to hand over almost £35,000 she made from crime – but not two houses she is connected with.

Mother-of-three Linda Brierley, 40, is said to have got cash worth £34,979 from benefits fraud.

Brierley, whose “partner” Simon Day is currently serving eight years behind bars for drugs dealing, was told by a judge to pay up within six months, or serve 15 months in prison, in default.

The crown had alleged the defendant, said to claim state handouts because of a spinal injury, was living on the fruits of Day’s crimes.

Police wanted two properties in Rishton confiscated as assets at a proceeds of crime hearing.

Burnley Crown Court was told Brierley did not accept Day was her partner despite the fact he was the father of all of her children.

The hearing centred on an £80,000 house in Henry Street and another, said to be worth over £100,000, in Walmsley Street and which Brierley was said to have owned with Day. Judge Michael Byrne ruled that whilst there were suspicions surr-ounding both properties and a “complicated family back-ground” in relation to both, he could not say they were acquired with the proceeds of criminal conduct.

Day, 40, was jailed for a total of eight years – seven of them for ecstasy supply offences – three years ago, after his involvement with a £20,000 drugs haul.

A proceeds of crime hearing later found he had made £309,686 and he was ordered to pay back realisable assets of £150,739.

Brierley, of Walmsley Street, has earlier admitted converting criminal property in September 2004 – a £4,781 CIS policy – on the basis she received no financial benefit.

She also pleaded guilty to making a false representation to obtain income support, by claiming she did not have any interest in any property, savings or shares.