A WOMAN who had around £18,000 stashed away at her "luxurious" council house told police she was good at saving, a court was told.

Jobless Janis Gabriel, 49, was a self-confessed fruit machine addict who insisted: "I lose a lot and I win a lot," a jury was told.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Gabriel, said to be a regular at Gala Bingo, Burnley, her unemployed disabled husband John and their three teenage sons all lived on benefits at a semi-detached house in Garden Street, Padiham.

The defendant, who had three bank accounts, paid neither rent nor council tax and over the seven months she is accused of money laundering last year her family received nearly £15,000 in state handouts, the court heard

Police twice searched Gabriel's home, in July and September last year, and found £11,700 and later £6,070 hidden away.

Officers were also amazed to discover the property had a "heated" swimming pool and a £600 sauna - likened by the defendant's barrister to a "modified shed" - in a conservatory at the back.

Inside the house were a jacuzzi, water bed, latest electrical equipment, an "impressive" £3,000 42 inch plasma screen television, a £2,000-£3,000 cinema system and a full CCTV monitoring system, the court was told.

Gabriel denies two counts of possessing criminal property, between February 24 and July 4 and February 24 and September 17 last year and told police the money was from bingo wins and benefits. Gabriel claimed the money seized by police was "all legit."

She told officers her husband had sold two cars, they had had a benefits back payment and she had won a lot on the bandits

The defendant added she and her husband, who collected gold, had always saved.

The court heard husband John Gabriel, who was also arrested by police, but was released without charge, was asked by police why the family had a CCTVsystem.

He told police they were having "bother" with drug dealers who wouldn't leave them alone and who had threatened to torch their house and cars.

Detective Constable Gia Rowland told the jury that when Gabriel was interviewed last November, she said the family had the swimming pool as it was something her husband liked and it was the only exercise he got.

A boss at Gala Bingo described in a statement how Gabriel was a regular and was quite often seen using the gaming machines until closing time.

He said that on a couple of occasions Gabriel had "dropped" the £500 jackpot. The defendant was said to have scooped a £1,018 bingo win in March 2002.

A gaming machine expert told in a statement how it was "highly unlikely," that anybody could have accumulated several thousand pounds by dropping £500 on the machines over a few weeks.

The jury heard how the defendant had claimed carer's allowance for her husband and the family had also received income support, mobility and care allowance, child benefit and disability living allowance.

(Proceeding)