A BENEFIT fraudster who claimed more than £4,000 in illegal payments has been given a four-month curfew order by magistrates.

Mandy Wells of Carr Road, Colne, pleaded guilty to five charges of failing to declare that she was working while she was in receipt of housing benefit, council tax benefit and incapacity benefit at Burnley Magistrates Court.

She was sentenced to the curfew order, meaning she must remain at her home address between 7pm and 6am.

The fraud was uncovered following a joint investigation by Pendle Borough Council and the Department for Work and Pensions.

The court heard Wells, 31, failed to reveal she had started work for Heads Recruitment on January 21 last year. On March 12, she completed a housing and council tax benefit claim form stating that she was not in paid work when she had started working at Express Gifts a week earlier.

Wells received incapacity benefit of £2657.04, housing benefit of £1156.24 and council tax benefit of £365.86 that she was not entitled to.

The court heard the fraud occurred between January 21 and June 23 last year when Wells was living in Derby Street, Nelson.

In sentencing Wells, magistrates said they had taken account of the large amount of money involved and the length of time over which the fraud was committed.

Derek Thomas, Pendle Council's financial manager said: "Pendle Council's commitment to paying benefits promptly and accurately is highlighted by the fact that our performance is among the best out of over 400 councils throughout the country. However, we consider benefit fraud to be a serious crime which has an impact on every council tax payer in Pendle.

"We will continue to work with our partners such as the Department for Work and Pensions to investigate those people who attempt to defraud a benefits system that is in place to help the needy."

Members of the public can anonymously 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