A GRANDMOTHER-of-two who claimed benefits because her husband was in prison failed to tell the authorities when he returned home a free man, a court heard.

Benefits totalling nearly £15,000 were paid out to Megan Leonie Tarrant, 40, even though her husband Simon was supporting her, Reedley magistrates were told.

Tarrant even worked as a cleaner at County Hall in Preston for a year while she claimed income support and council tax and housing benefits.

But a tip-off to the authorites has seen Tarrant, of Florence Avenue, Burnley, hauled before the courts and charged with six offences.

She admitted three offences of failing to tell the state she was living with Mr Tarrant, between May 2006 and January 2009, and three further charges relating to her working and claiming handouts.

The case was adjourned for pre-sentence reports until next Tuesday, before Burnley magistrates.

Krystal Savoie, prosecuting on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions, said the defendant had begun claiming benefits when her husband Simon was sent to prison for two years in 2004.

After receiving allegations that the husband and defendant were still living together, a surveillance operation was mounted. Mr Tarrant was seen arriving at and leaving the family home on a number of occa-sions. Wage slips were checked and his home address was also given as their Florence Avenue property.

Miss Savoie said that for a period Mr Tarrant worked as a cleaner at County Hall, and he secured his wife a job there between May 2006 and October 2007.

David Leach, defending, said his client, who had no previous convictions, wished to apologise to the court for her behaviour.

The claims had been legitimate initially but, while her husband was in prison, she had ran up debts, and had failed to inform the authorities about the change in circumstances.