A woman claimed £77,000 of taxpayers' money in Universal Credit (UC) by defrauding the benefits system for five years.

Nevenka Watson from Carlisle has received a six-month suspended sentence at Rickergate court for illegally obtaining £76,943 in UC payments.

Watson must remain conviction-free for two years or face serving a jail term.

Her fraudulent claims spanned almost five years, from November 2018 to July 2023.

Watson received her sentence at Rickergate courtGoogle Maps

Deputy District Judge Roger Lowe suspended the custodial sentence despite describing the offence as "too serious for a conditional discharge or a fine".

The judge acknowledged the substantial sum involved and the extended duration of the fraud.

Watson had presented herself as a single person living independently when she applied for UC.

In reality, she was residing with a partner who held full-time employment and contributed financially to their household.

The court heard that Watson understood her obligation to inform the Department for Work and Pensions about any circumstances that might affect her entitlement.

Despite this knowledge, she failed to disclose her living arrangements throughout the five-year period.

Watson pleaded guilty to dishonestly failing to disclose information relevant to her benefit claim.

The Probation Service pre-sentence report concluded that community service, unpaid work or a curfew were unsuitable options for her case.

The fraudster claimed £76,943 in UC payments

Judge Lowe noted Watson had no previous convictions and highlighted that the funds obtained through the fraud were used to support her family rather than finance an extravagant lifestyle.

The judge stated: "Nevertheless, it was public money, paid for by the taxpayers by means of taxes, and it should have gone to other people and not to you."

The Department for Work and Pensions will determine how to reclaim the misappropriated funds, according to Judge Lowe.

Watson must pay £85 in prosecution costs and a £154 victim surcharge, totalling £239.

The judge emphasised that Watson's continued freedom depends on maintaining a clean record for the next two years. Any criminal activity during this period would result in the activation of her suspended sentence, requiring her to serve the six-month jail term.