A FULL-TIME carer pocketed almost £12,000 in benefits while working, a court heard.

Bryan Willis, of Medway, Great Lumley, near Chester-le-Street, fraudulently claimed £11,992 of Income Support for caring for his sick daughter – despite being employed for more than two-and-a-half years.

Appearing before Newton Aycliffe Magistrates today (July 27), the 44-year-old pleaded guilty to failing to notify the Department for Work and Pensions of a change in circumstances affecting his benefit entitlement.

Although the claim was initially legitimate, he was offered employment on November 2012 and worked until July 2015.

The court heard he was frank in interviews and accepted it should have been declared. Willis claimed he had borrowed money from a loan shark and accepted the job to pay off a debt.

The defendant confirmed he had paid £1,300 back. He was handed a 12 month community order with a requirement of 100 hours of unpaid work and was ordered to pay a £60 victim surcharge.