A WOMAN who “systematically stole” more than £47,000 in benefits, was jailed for eight months.

Julie Colledge, who is of previous good character, failed to notify she was living with a partner while claiming various benefits over a six-year period.

Durham Crown Court heard that some of the claims, for income support, housing benefit and Council Tax benefit, began legitimately, but became illegal when it was established her partner was living at her home address.

A further claim, however, for jobseekers’ allowance, which superseded the income support, was illegal from the outset.

Sam Faulks, prosecuting, said the woman’s partner, a lorry driver, used the address for a variety of different reasons, and at different times, including for banking purposes, from June 9, 2009.

But, Mr Faulks said Colledge did not declare she was sharing the address with a working partner while continuing to claim the various benefits up to May this year.

It meant the overpayment in income support and jobseekers’ allowance was £18,599, in housing benefit, by £25,618, and by £3,443 in Council Tax benefit, totalling £47,661.

When interviewed, she initially said her partner was away a lot driving and she did not see it as a ‘partnership’, while they had, from time to time, split up, although never for more than a few weeks.

Mr Faulks said she told the investigators that she did not receive any financial support from him, although he did, “buy a few takeaways”, which she said was his sole contribution to the family household.

Colledge, of Eden Villas, Stanley, admitted two counts of failing to notify a change in circumstances and one dishonest representation to obtain benefit.

Angus Taylor, mitigating, said the 50-year-old mother-of-four adults has not led, “a lavish lifestyle”.

“She hasn’t improved her position greatly through this and tells me she, ‘just gets by’.”

Mr Taylor said Colledge’s partner leads a, “transitory lifestyle”, backing her claim that he has not always been living at her address.

He added that she is seen as, “the rock” of her family, while also providing support for a friend who suffers serious illness.

Mr Taylor told the court that she has been in employment recently as a hotel kitchen porter.

Jailing her, however, Judge Christopher Prince told Colledge: “This was not a one-off act. It was, over several years, systematically stealing from the welfare fund, which is there for people who are needy.”