A 56-year-old woman who was wrongly paid almost £1,500 in benefits appeared in court yesterday.

Christine Nesbitt, of East Villa, Crathorne, near Yarm, pleaded guilty to three charges of failing to notify Hambleton District Council that she was receiving working tax credit.

The failure led to her receiving £1,022 in housing benefit and £466 in council tax benefit that she was not entitled to. Northallerton Magistrates gave her a two-year conditional discharge and ordered her to pay £150 costs.