A BENEFIT cheat who falsely claimed more than £25,000 of taxpayer's money has been given a suspended sentence.

Ella Tarnowski, of Wilton Avenue, Kidderminster pleaded guilty after her partner moved into her home and she failed to notify Wyre Forest District Council and the Department of Work and Pensions of the changes.

Nina Dorrell, prosecuting for Wyre Forest District Council and on behalf of the DWP, told Kidderminster Magistrates Court the offence was further aggravated due to the length of time that she had allowed it to continue without notifying the authorities.

As a result, she claimed £7,971 Income Support and £17,266 in Housing and Council Tax Benefit to which she was not entitled between May 2009 and November 2012.

Following reports from the probation service, magistrates sentenced Tarnowski to 12 weeks custody, suspended for two years.

They also ordered her to completed 100 hours of unpaid community work and pay £200 towards costs.

In all cases, the overpayments of benefit will also have to be repaid in full to Wyre Forest District Council and the Department for Work & Pensions.

The case at Kidderminster Magistrates Court followed a joint investigation by Benefit Fraud Investigators from Wyre Forest District Council and the Department for Work and Pensions.

In a separate case, a 22-year-old Kidderminster man has been fined for attempting to falsely claim Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.

Joshua Bell, of Beauchamp Court, Kidderminster pleaded guilty to two charges of dishonesty after submitting false documentation to Wyre Forest District Council. The court heard that Bell made a benefit claim stating that he was a single man in March 2013 but his partner was living with him.

He had also submitted a false tenancy agreement claiming his partner was his landlord.

Magistrates fined Bell £200 and ordered him to pay £345 in costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

To confidentially report a case of benefit fraud to Wyre Forest District Council call 01562 732658.

Anyone wanting to speak to someone in person can call 01562 732638 during office hours.

Emails can also be sent from the automatic link in the Fraud section of the Council’s website at www.wyreforestdc.gov.uk.