A £41,600 benefits cheat who was employed by the Department for Work and Pensions at the time, has been ordered to pay less than half of it back.

Mother-of-two Wendy Morton, 48, had had taxpayers' cash going into her bank account while she was a pensions worker for the DWP, Burnley Crown Court had earlier heard.

She had split from her husband Nicholas after he had had a road accident and had become ill.

She later moved back into the family home, but her husband continued to claim income support and council tax benefit, the authorities were not notified and the money came in for another four years.

Morton had claimed she and her husband were still separated, were not a couple and she was his carer and not his wife, the court was told.

Morton, who had been sacked from her position when the fraud came to light, had earlier admitted two counts of causing or allowing Mr Morton to fail to give prompt notification of a change in circumstances, between April 2007 and May 2011. She had no convictions at the time.

Morton, who had lived at Ashworth Street, Baxenden, when she committed the offences, was in February given three months in jail, suspended for 18 months, with a four week, 9pm to 6am curfew.

Morton faced a Proceeds of Crime hearing at the crown court last Friday. She was found to have benefitted £41,663.57 by her criminal conduct, but the available amount of money was £19,498.20.

Judge Beverley Lunt ordered she pay that amount by August 25, or face 12 months in jail. She must also pay £500 costs of the case by the same date.

Alaric Bassano, for the DWP, told the court Morton had contended the monies identified by the prosecution in their investigation were joint monies and the amount attributable to her was half of that figure. In this case, the prosecution agreed.

The sentencing hearing had been told how Mr Morton had claimed benefits legitimately after he and his wife separated. She then moved back in and the benefits continued to be claimed. Mr Morton had not faced prosecution as he had had a breakdown and was said to be 'very ill'.

The pair had later sold the home they shared at the time and had moved into another property together. Morton was said to look after her husband full-time and was in receipt of carer's allowance.