A NORTH-EAST charity boss was sentenced for cheating more than £33,000 from social services yesterday.

Cecilia Lawson, a former project manager for mental health organisation, Mind, admitted claiming for housing and council tax benefit for five years after she started work in 1994.

Mother-of-four Lawson, 47, of Jennifer Avenue, Castletown, Sunderland, was in tears as the city's magistrates sentenced her to do 240 hours' community service and pay £150 costs.

Paul Herron, prosecuting, said Lawson had legitimately claimed the benefits at first, but then deliberately failed to declare she had found a job at a later date.

The total amount defrauded was £33,764.

Speaking on Lawson's behalf after the judgement, solicitor Bob Spragg said his client was too distraught to talk but confirmed she had resigned her post at Mind in order to limit any embarrassment for the organisation.

In court, Mr Spragg told magistrates that Lawson, who still has one child of dependant age, volunteered information that she had been cheating the DSS after an attack of conscience.

He said she had merely being trying to provide a trouble-free life for her four children as a single mother, after having a difficult childhood herself with an alcoholic mother, and father psychologically scarred as a Japanese prisoner of war. She then suffered an abusive relationship with her then husband.

Chris Mason, benefit fraud sector manager, said the case served as an example to others considering defrauding the DSS.