A 68-year-old grandmother has been electronically tagged after she was caught falsely claiming £14,000 worth of benefits.

Norma Allum forged her husband Bill’s signature on her Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit form in Sept 2005.

The forgery led to her being overpaid by £10,550.55 for housing benefit and £3301.46 in council tax benefit.

Allum pleaded guilty at Hyndburn Magistrates Court and electronically tagged on her right ankle after she was given a five month curfew and was ordered to stay at home between 8pm and 7am.

She will also have to pay back all the overpaid benefit.

But Allum, of Great Harwood, denies wrong-doing, insisting she has been treated in a “disgusting” way and made to feel like a criminal.

She said: “I’m divorcing my husband and he was back and forth for a while in the flat.

“His name is still on the tenancy, so I filled both of our names out on the form.

“I didn’t know I wasn’t allowed to do it. I didn’t think it mattered.”

Hyndburn Council officers investigating the case found that Mr Allum had a bank account where a £430 per month pension was being deposited.

This was not disclosed on the application forms for benefits which appeared to have been signed by both Mr and Mrs Allum.

Allum later admitted to forging her husband’s signature when she was interviewed under caution.

The grandmother of 14 added: “I haven’t told my family yet, they’ll read about it in the paper first.

"I don’t suppose I’ll be getting many Christmas presents this year.

“But my neighbours have been very supportive of me. They are horrififed that this has happened when I’m not to blame.”

Coun Marlene Haworth, cabinet member for finance at Hyndburn Council, said: “This case shows that you can’t pull the wool over the eyes of the Benefit Fraud Team.

“If you are claiming fraudulently we will investigate and you could end up in court, being ordered to pay all the money back and being fitted with a tag as in this case.

"It sends a clear warning to other would be fraudsters.”