A MOTHER claimed nearly £26,000 in benefits she was not entitled to over a three-year period.

Blackburn magistrates heard that all the time Melanie Hale was claiming housing and council tax benefit and income support she was working at LG Phillips Displays.

And the court was told Hale showed no remorse for her crime and had paid off only £36 of the debt despite recently receiving a redundancy payment.

Hale, 31, of Ailsa Road, pleaded guilty to eight charges of making false statements to obtain benefits and asked for another 166 to be taken into consideration.

She was committed on bail to Preston Crown Court for sentencing.

Emma Jones, prosecuting, on behalf of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council and the Department of Work and Pensions, said the benefits paid to Hale were means tested and designed to help people on low incomes.

She said the Council had been alerted to the possibility of a benefit fraud by investigators from the Department of Work and Pensions.

A joint investigation revealed that Hale had been employed at LG Phillips Displays since 1998.

This information had not been entered on any of the declarations she had made.

Miss Jones said there were overpayments of £16,798 in income support, £7,022 in housing benefit and £1,655 in council tax benefit. Michael Blacklidge, defending, said calculations carried out on his behalf suggested that his client would have been entitled to £11,888 in working family tax credit had she claimed correctly.

"I say that is something the court can properly bear in mind as it greatly reduces the amount taken from the public purse," said Mr Blacklidge.

He said Hale's long-term relationship with the father of her two sons had come to an end and she had been left with a large debt.