A young mum who posed as a single parent while secretly living with her boyfriend to get £13,600 in benefits has been spared jail after insisting she was ''struggling'' financially due to the pandemic.
Georgia Piggott, 22, pocketed the extra income support and housing benefit over a two year period after falsely claiming she had no partner.
But the mum-of-three was caught after Department of Work and Pensions investigators discovered she had set up home with 23-year old Jordan Edge, who is the dad of her two eldest children.
Manchester Magistrates' Court heard Piggott initially stated she was a single parent and was living alone at her home in Little Hulton, near Salford.
Investigators found Edge moved into the home with Piggott in September 2017 and it wasn't until August 2019 that she was caught.
In that time, the young mum falsely claimed more than £13,600 in benefits.
Prosecutor Tara Riley told the court: "In relation to these offences, one is from income support and one is from housing benefit.
"Initially when filling in forms, the defendant stated that she was a single parent living at her address. She was asked if there were any changes in the circumstances and that if there were, they must be reported.
"But evidence has been collated and it shows the defendant was not living on her own, her partner was in fact also living with her. She initially denied the allegation but her partner, Mr Jordan Edge is the father of two of the children and was staying at the address.
''In total, the defendant has amounted £13.607,58 worth of debt over a period of 100 weeks. She does not have any previous convictions and she is of good character.''
In mitigation for Piggott defence lawyer Zoe Earle claimed her client is struggling financially due to the coronavirus pandemic.
She said: "A guilty plea has been entered by this defendant. She was a lady of previous good character but her good name will now be tarnished.
"This case is one that was not fraudulent at the outset. She is extremely remorseful, and she is ashamed of her actions.
''She now has three children, so this offence dates back a while. Certainly, her life has changed somewhat since this. I do not believe she will be in trouble before the courts again in any kind of re-offending. I would ask for this to be a suspended sentence order.
"She is not suitable for a curfew or work requirements as she has one very young child and two other young children. There is no alcohol or drug misuse. She is a mum struggling in the current climate."
Piggott admitted benefit fraud charges and was sentenced to 16 weeks imprisonment suspended for 12 months.
She was also ordered to pay £85 prosecution costs and a £122 victim surcharge but no order was made by the court to make her pay the money back. It is thought DWP officials will now pursue her for the overpayments.
Sentencing JPs told Piggott: "The offending occurred over a significant amount of time but we have taken into consideration your previous good character and your co-operation. However you have come very close to going to prison today."
