A BENEFITS cheat who lived it up at music festivals while supposedly housebound recovering from a road accident has apologised for her wild years at the taxpayers expense.

Joy Taylor, 32, insisted she was disabled while enjoying weekends at Leeds Festival, Creamfields, Westfest and a Kings of Leon concert - among the many events she attended.

Taylor was sunk when fraud investigators looked at her Facebook profile and saw dozens of pictures of the blue-haired reveller at concerts - and when confronted she blamed her mother, Linda, for the scam.

The Northern Echo: CHEAT: Joy Taylor  (40902703)
BENEFITS CHEAT: Joy Taylor

The pair no longer speak after the fraud landed them both in court.

At home in Newton Aycliffe the young mother said today (Tuesday, October 6): "I'm sorry it happened, I'm not a bad person and I've never been in trouble with the law before but the temptation was too much.

"I lost two years of my life because of the car crash when I injured my leg and I think I was just trying to compensate for the time I lost.

"The benefits were building up in a bank account and when I realised I could transfer them I did it.

"I definitely had a good time, I loved going out and dancing, seeing bands, enjoying myself, but that's all over now.

"I'm 32 and I've calmed down, I want to get a job and carry on being a good mum to (my son) Rhys."

The accident happened in September 2007, when Taylor's car left the road while travelling to work.

Durham Crown Court heard that Taylor's initial claim was legitimate after she suffered a serious leg injury, but the claims should have ended in 2009.

Prosecutor Mark Styles said the pair received an over-payment of up to £95,000 - and even defence admissions rated the amount at £70,000.

The Taylors, from Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, each admitted making false representations for gain.

Joy Taylor got a 14 month sentence suspended for a year and her mother got 12 months, also suspended for a year.

The Northern Echo: FACEBOOK: Joy Taylor posted pictures of her herself on Facebook, living it up at rock concerts and music festivals (40902708)
FACEBOOK: Joy Taylor posted pictures of her herself on Facebook, living it up at rock concerts and music festivals

Her mother Linda, 64, said today: "I feel ashamed.

"I've never had so much as a parking ticket before and I found myself in court and even facing prison.

"I didn't benefit from the money, I just continued living as normal and I'm making arrangements to start repayments.

"I've worked hard all my life at various jobs, most recently as a carer before I retired.

"This has been a really awful time and I'm just so glad that it's over, I want to try to put it behind me."