A woman who failed to notify the authorities she was in receipt of a pension when she applied for Universal Credit has been in front of a judge.

Sharon Metson was overpaid to the tune of £17,564 before it was discovered that she had made a false claim.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the 58-year-old is paying back the money through her legitimate benefit payments.

Peter Sabiston, prosecuting, said Metson made the fraudulent claim between April 2017 and March 7 this year.

He said it was the defendant’s failure to declare her pension payments that resulted in her being prosecuted by the Department of Work and Pensions.

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Metson, of Hawthorn Walk, Hartlepool, pleaded guilty to committing benefit fraud after failing to correct the claim.

Stephen Constantine, in mitigation, urged the judge to follow the recommendations in his client’s pre-sentence report.

Recorder Jamie Hill KC sentenced her to a one-year community order with 120 hours of unpaid work to be carried out.

He said: “I’m sure you are experiencing a great deal of shame standing in the dock at Crown Court after admitting an offence of dishonesty, for somebody in their 50s, who has never been in trouble before.

“Your original claim may have been borne out of recklessness or error of judgement but there were opportunities to correct it afterwards. The result is having let things ride there was a loss of some £17,000 and this is now being reclaimed.”

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