BENEFIT cheats in Pendle have been warned that the council will not tolerate their behaviour after it successfully prosecuted a woman who pleaded guilty to eight charges of making a false statement to obtain housing and council tax benefit.

Dena Lyall, of Milton Rd, Colne, was sentenced to an 18 month community rehabilitation order and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £50 when she appeared at Burnley Magistrates on June 12.

Lyall, 57, had stated on claim forms for benefit that her husband John Lyall was not in paid work although he had been working at Zebras nightclub in Colne, between April 1998 and January 2001.

Lyall received £4,628.65 housing benefit and £750.78 council tax benefit that she was not entitled to.

In sentencing Lyall, magistrates told her that they had taken account of the substantial amount of money involved and the long period of time over which the fraud was committed. They said that they found no mitigating features but gave Lyall credit for her previous good character and prompt guilty plea.

Pendle Council is currently recovering the overpaid benefit from Lyall.

Derek Thomas, Pendle Council's financial manager (revenues), said: "Pendle Council encourages all people to claim the benefits to which they are genuinely entitled. However, we will not tolerate people who claim benefits to which they are not entitled.

"Benefit fraud is a serious crime which has an impact on every council tax payer in Pendle and we will continue to pursue people who claim benefits fraudulently."

The fraud was uncovered following an investigation by the council's housing benefit fraud investigation team.

Members of the public can anonymously and confidentially report benefit fraud by calling the council's 24 hour fraud hotline on 01282 661888 or by completing the Benefit Fraud Form at www.pendle.gov.uk.