A PENSIONER defrauded the public purse out of almost £7,000 in handouts after she kept mum about her estranged husband moving back in, a court heard.

Lynda Bennett, 61, a former pub landlady, kept the move to herself for about 10 months, claiming £6,973 she was not entitled to when she and Leslie Bennett were again living as husband and wife.

She had no previous convictions, Burnley Magistrates were told.

Bennett wiped away tears as the hearing was told how the proceedings had put pressure on her.

Her solicitor urged the bench to decide she had "suffered enough."

The defendant, of Berkeley Close, Nelson, admitted three counts of failing to notify a change of circumstances to the Department for Work and Pensions and Pendle Borough Council, between June 2007 and April 2008.

She was given a two year conditional discharge.

Richard Taylor, prosecuting for the DWP, told the court the defendant claimed benefits she was not entitled to for just over 44 weeks.

She was overpaid £3,834 in income support, £2,486 in housing benefits and £652 in council tax benefit. The DWP's compensation unit was set to get the money back.

Lee Hammond, for Bennett, said she and her husband were both former publicans and had run several pubs in the area.

Several years ago Mr Bennett left his wife, leaving her to run the pub they had then been at.

She was unable to do that, came out of the trade, had no income and started claiming benefits.

The defendant was living on her own and had few family and friends locally.

She fell, ending up relatively immobile, and Mr Bennett started to visit her to try and help her.

At some stage he moved back in, but at first he would only stay one night. Then he began to stay more nights.

Mr Hammond said Bennett, who was on pain medication, knew she should be telling the authorities if her husband had moved back in but at that stage, in her mind, they were not back together as a couple.

The solicitor said: "She should have realised that once he started staying over she should have informed the benefits agencies but in her mind it was not quite as cut and dried as that."

Mr Hammond told the court the defendant was full or remorse and had been very upset about the case.