A woman who falsely claimed thousands of pounds in benefits was caught out after she posted photos of her wedding in Barbados on Facebook.
Hazel Cunningham was sentenced to 120 days in prison after pleading guilty to four charges of making false statements and one of failing to notify a change in circumstance at Folkestone Magistrates' Court in Kent, a spokeswoman for Ashford Borough Council said.
The 47-year-old's deceit was uncovered by the local authority's fraud investigation team, which also found she was enjoying holidays to Turkey up to three times a year at the same time as claiming income support, housing benefit and council tax benefit, amounting to an average of ?170 a week.
She must now repay all the money she falsely claimed, a total of just under ?15,000.
The court heard that Mrs Cunningham, of Bloomsbury Way, Kennington, Ashford, failed to notify the authorities of her maternity pay from her employer and she also claimed that she was a single mother when she was actually living with her husband.
She was also prosecuted in 2009 for failing to declare that she was working while claiming a total of ?21,000 in incapacity benefit, housing and council tax benefits.
Council leader Peter Wood said: "This case is another success for the council who work tirelessly to ensure that the honest taxpayers of the Ashford borough are not defrauded.
"The message is clear: people who commit benefit fraud will be caught."
Hazel Cunningham was sentenced to 120 days in prison after pleading guilty to four charges of making false statements and one of failing to notify a change in circumstance at Folkestone Magistrates' Court in Kent, a spokeswoman for Ashford Borough Council said.
The 47-year-old's deceit was uncovered by the local authority's fraud investigation team, which also found she was enjoying holidays to Turkey up to three times a year at the same time as claiming income support, housing benefit and council tax benefit, amounting to an average of ?170 a week.
She must now repay all the money she falsely claimed, a total of just under ?15,000.
The court heard that Mrs Cunningham, of Bloomsbury Way, Kennington, Ashford, failed to notify the authorities of her maternity pay from her employer and she also claimed that she was a single mother when she was actually living with her husband.
She was also prosecuted in 2009 for failing to declare that she was working while claiming a total of ?21,000 in incapacity benefit, housing and council tax benefits.
Council leader Peter Wood said: "This case is another success for the council who work tirelessly to ensure that the honest taxpayers of the Ashford borough are not defrauded.
"The message is clear: people who commit benefit fraud will be caught."
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