A PADIHAM family of five lived in a council house with a swimming pool, sauna, jacuzzi and other expensive fittings -- despite being on benefits, a jury was told.

And police found more than £18,000 cash - allegedly the proceeds of crime - stashed away when they raided the home, Burnley Crown Court heard.

Neither mother-of-three Janis Gabriel, 49, her sick husband John, nor their three teenage sons worked. They relied on state benefits - yet lived in the lap of luxury at their semi in Garden Street, the court heard.

But Gabriel told police the money had come from a combination of savings from benefits and bingo winnings, the court was told.

As well as finding £18,400 in cash on two visits to the home, the court heard how surprised officers also found:

A conservatory housing a swimming pool and sauna

A jacuzzi

A four poster water bed

A 42 inch plasma screen TV

A DVD player and home entertainment speaker system.

Outside the Gabriels' home was a 360 degree CCTV camera fitted to a lamp post in the street and which connected to a full monitoring system set up in the living room.

Gabriel denies two counts of possessing criminal property, between February and July and February and September 2003.

The prosecution claim Gabriel was money laundering but the defendant alleges the money found by police was from bingo winnings and savings.

Paul O' Brien, prosecuting, told the court that last July, police went to the Gabriel family home and were "somewhat surprised" to find a lot of expensive fittings, appliances and electrical equipment. The family was on benefits.

Mr O' Brien continued: "This money, the prosecution say, was produced by some criminal activity or conduct.

"There can be no other explanation. It was criminal property and she was in possession of it. The prosecution say this lady was money laundering."

He said the lounge had a costly leather suite, a mahogany fireplace and the kitchen was newly fitted, as was the bathroom which featured a corner jacuzzi bath.

Officers discovered £11,700 - £10,000 of it in £20 notes in a bum bag under the water bed. Further cash was in the living room, he said.

He said police seized the cash under the Proceeds of Crime Act and when asked where the money had come from Gabriel claimed it was a combination of savings from benefits and bingo winnings.

Mr O'Brien told the court the CCTV camera was "another curious feature" about the house.

(Proceeding)