A MOTHER-of-three who cheated the state out of benefits totalling more than £8,000 has been placed under curfew.

Tracy Lally, 33, had claimed income support for herself and her children since 1998, Reedley magistrates were told.

But her partner Philip Benson had moved into her home in New Market Street, Colne, in August 2007, making her original claim invalid.

Richard Taylor, prosecuting on behalf of the Department of Work and Pensions, said Mr Benson did occasional ‘cash-in-hand’ work for his landlord, and later secured temporary work for Tesco.

But Lally continued claiming income support, from August 2007 to June 2008, resulting in an overpayment of £8,257.

The defendant admitted the charge when interviewed by DWP investigators and is now repaying the missing money from her benefits.

Lally, now known as Tracy Benson and living in Smith Street, Nelson, admitted failing to notify the DWP of a change in her circumstances.

Magistrates gave her an eight week curfew, between Sundays and Fridays, between 8pm and 7am, and ordered her to pay £75 costs.

Geoff Ireland, defending, said that this was the first time his client had appeared before the courts and had been waiting anxiously to hear the outcome of the case.

Unfortunately Mr Benson had now lost his employment and claimed benefits on behalf of the family as a whole, he added.

Mr Ireland said that, with Mr Benson’s working situation, she would have been nominally entitled to another benefit, such as working family tax credit, instead of income support.