Mother-of-three, 32, who pocketed £20K in low-income benefits for nearly four years by falsely claiming to live alone despite her estranged husband moving back in is spared jail

A mother-of-three who falsely claimed more than £20,000 in benefits has avoided jail.

Chantelle Crookes, 32, claimed to be the only adult occupant at her home so she could fraudulently claim Universal Credit and council tax support from Breckland District Council in Norfolk.

She did not tell authorities that her previously estranged husband Shane Lord had moved back into her home and continued to claim low-income benefits to which she was not entitled.

Her bills were discounted for almost four years between February 2021 and September 2024 until benefits staff uncovered her fraud.

Crookes was sentenced to a 12-month community order with 120 hours unpaid work after magistrates heard she was repaying the money.

Norwich Magistrates' Court heard Crookes ran the scam for 191 weeks and claimed £20,595, offences which normally carry a penalty of one to three years in prison.

Emma Pocknell, prosecuting, said Crookes dishonestly failed to report information affecting her benefits claim and did not tell the Department for Work and Pensions about her change in circumstances.

Crookes also admitted false representation after a benefits claim she made in April 2023 did not declare she was 'maintaining a common household' by living with her husband.

Annette Hall, mitigating, said: 'This is a lady who has never been in trouble before. It was committed to come to an extent out of necessity, more motivated by the family income not covering expenditure at the time.'

Ms Hall claimed Crookes was struggling with three young children alongside physical and mental health issues.

'The claims were started legitimately at the beginning and then the circumstances changed, but that coincided with her health taking a downturn,' she added.

'She is not proud of it but things spiralled out of control.'