A MOTHER who swindled the taxman out of nearly £17,000 has appeared in court.

Lisa Dawn Copland, 32, pleaded guilty at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates' Court yesterday to obtaining tax credits without giving full details of her partner's income.

Susan Hirst, prosecuting, said Copland claimed as a single parent when she applied for working tax credit.

However, at the time she was living at a house in Bedford Street, with her former partner Charles Noble, who had a salary of approximately £22,000.

Ms Hirst said the amount of tax credit paid out to Copland totalled £16,840.15.

Chris Bunting, in mitigation, said that Copland had never been in trouble with the law before.

He said she also paid all the bills, as well as £200 rent to Mr Noble, at the house.

He added: "She has fully acknowledged that what she did was wrong. There has been no attempt to minimise her actions.

"I would urge you to conclude that sending her to prison today should not be the proper answer in this particular case.

"She is the mother of two young daughters.

"What would be the impact upon them, through no fault of their own, if their mum was taken away from them?"

The chairman of the bench, Beryl Swinbank, sentenced Copland to a community penalty rehabilitation order for 18 months with 100 hours unpaid work.

She was also ordered to pay £250 court costs.