A WOMAN pretended she was a tenant in a house she owned to claim £5,775 in benefits.

Norin Khan, 33, of Queens Park Road, Blackburn, was given a 100 hours community order by Blackburn magistrates.

She had pleaded guilty to providing two false claim forms to Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council.

Khan must now repay the debt at £160 a month after the magistrates imposed a compensation order.

The court heard that a tenancy agreement was falsified to make the claim seem legitimate.

But council investigators discovered she had actually owned the house since 1994.

Khan was said to have realised that what she did was wrong.

Chris O'Halloran, the council's Investigations manager, said: "The case demonstrated that Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council was determined to take firm action against people who deliberately set out to defraud the local authority.

"The council seeks to ensure that genuine claimants receive the full benefits to which they are entitled, however in this case, clear and premeditated abuse of the benefits system had been uncovered."

People wanting to report benefit fraud should call 0800 917 8179.