A 58-YEAR-OLD grandmother was told she could have gone to prison after she admitted claiming more than £18,000 in benefits while working as a cleaner.
Magistrates told Julia Wilkinson, of Bedford Place, Bishop Auckland, that they could have sent her to prison for fraud, which stretched from March 1999 to May 2003.
The court heard how Wilkinson worked while claiming income support. In total she claimed £18,471.05.
Chair of the bench Chris Day said many people would have expected Wilkinson to go to prison for claiming £18,500 of taxpayers' money.
Wilkinson was given a 12-month community rehabilitation service order.
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