A WOMAN was fined after she was found guilty of dishonestly obtaining too much in benefit payments.

Wendy Jane Wilkinson, 38, of The Crescent, Stainton Grove, Barnard Castle, stood trial at Bishop Auckland Magistrates' Court, accused of failing to notify Teesdale District Council that she had a job.

She received an overpayment of £260 in council tax benefits and about £20 in housing benefits between October 2005 and March last year, but denied doing so dishonestly.

She continued to claim benefit when she worked at Royal Mail.

The council found out when alerted by the Job Centre.

The authority wrote to her three times to arrange an appointment to discuss the issue and also called at her house, but she was not in.

She said she had not seen any of the letters.

Wilkinson claimed to have telephoned the council several times to say she had started work but did not send a letter - despite signing a form which said she must tell the authority in writing of any change in circumstances.

She said the council must have lost records of her telephone calls.

"I did everything I possibly could. I did inform the council that I was working and did inform the Job Centre. Everyone, as far as I was aware, was actually informed," she said.

Judith Gowland, prosecuting, said: "You are being entirely dishonest about this and you are now concocting a defence."

Claire Whelpdale, mitigating, said: "She now accepts that there may have been an overpayment, but what is disputed is that she acted dishonestly."

Wilkinson was fined £50 and ordered to pay £150 costs.