SIXTEEN people from Lancashire have been sentenced for their part in a £360,000 tax credits fraud.

The scam saw the group claiming that they or their children were disabled, thus increasing their tax credits payments.

The investigation by HMRC found that a former HMRC employee had been responsible for inputting the false details on to the tax credits system.

All the defendants had pleaded guilty.

Paul Hulme, 37, of Finsbury Place, Blackburn, was jailed for 21 weeks.

Laura Entwhistle, 29, of High Street, Oswaldtwistle, was given a suspended sentence.

Paul Whittle, 37, of Canterbury Street, Chorley, was jailed for 25 weeks.

Neil Burrows, 43, of The Crescent, Chorley, was jailed for 20 weeks. The rest of the group received suspended sentences.

They were Caroline Lea, 30, of Howard Road; Corinne Austin, 49, of Shakespeare Terrace; Sharon Burrows, 42, of The Crescent; Caroline Whittle, 31, of Canterbury Street; Lee Benson, 41, of Preston Road; Paul Kirfoot, 41, of St Gregory’s Place; and Tracey Nolan, 46, of Mereford, all Chorley.

Ian Horridge, senior manager, HMRC said: “This group has been responsible for a deliberate and sustained attack against the UK tax credits system in a deplorable attempt to defraud a system aimed at supporting the most vulnerable in our society.

“HMRC is committed to the highest levels of integrity and we take decisive action against the tiny minority who let us all down by falling short of those standards.”