A MOTHER-of-three has been handed a suspended jail sentence for continuing to claim thousands of pounds worth of child tax credits despite her children being taken into care.

Gemma Wetherell, 23, became eligible for the benefits to help raise her children in 2011 from Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs and also claimed housing benefit from Durham County Council.

Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court heard this week that Wetherell, of Lightfoot Terrace, Ferryhill, County Durham, received a total of £12,167.19 in fraudulent benefit claims between 2016 and 2017.

Wetherell, who is expecting her fourth child to be born next month, accepted she had made no attempts to adjust her benefit payments as her “head was not in the right place” after having her three children taken into care.

Keith Laidlaw, prosecuting, said: “She was in receipt of child tax credits from 2011 on the grounds that her children were living with her and in her care. She was also in receipt of housing benefit.

“She failed to declare a change in circumstances – namely that the two children were removed from her care.”

The court heard a baby was also taken into care four days after Wetherell gave birth, with her solicitor, Michael Clarke, stating her life at the time was in “total turmoil”.

Wetherell had stated to officers investigating the fraud that she “assumed” the child tax credits would be stopped after a care order was given to remove her children.

Mr Laidlaw said: “Miss Wetherell used the extra money to try to provide a safe environment for the child she was pregnant with who was removed from her care at birth. The child has been returned to her care since February 2018.

“Miss Wetherell said that she was ‘dead remorseful for it’. She said, ‘I feel dead embarrassed and I had no idea why I did it’.”

The 23-year-old’s solicitor confirmed she had made progress improving her home and relationships.

Mr Clarke said: “She’s really turned her life around. The offences came at a time when her life was in total turmoil. She had issues with drugs, as did her ex-partner, however she no longer uses them at all.”

Wetherell pleaded guilty to two counts of dishonestly failing to disclose information to make a gain for herself between April 2016 and November 2017.

District Judge Tim Capstick addressed the 23-year-old and said: “These offences took place some time ago. Now, 16 months later, your position is very different to what it was back then."

Wetherell was handed a 16-week prison sentence for each offence to run concurrently, suspended for 12 months. The £12,167.19 owed will be deducted from Wetherell’s benefits.