15 children invented by mother for benefits con

A mother-of-six from the Black Country invented 15 children as she blatantly cheated £62,000 in benefits from the taxpayer, a court heard this afternoon.

Jobless Kerry Melia, aged 30, repeatedly claimed to be fostering youngsters who did not exist from 2006-10.

This afternoon she was jailed for eight months, but Wolverhampton Crown Court heard that the civil courts would have to be used to claw back the cash as she had none left.

Melia, of St Mark's Road, Tipton, was paid a total of £118,000 in tax credits since 2005, but had only been entitled to around half.

She claimed for nine fictitious foster children in all, and a further five she was genuinely the mother of. She also tried to claim for a further six, but was caught before she could succeed.

Jennie Kendall, of HM Revenue & Customs, said the case "flagged up some issues" when examined in an ongoing review of claims.

Judge Michael Dudley told married Melia: "You don't need me to tell you this was absolutely blatant fraud."

He accepted she had a "very young family", but said the case was "far too serious" to spare her jail.

Melia admitted five charges of tax credit fraud.

Mr Regan Peggs, defending, said Melia, whose youngest child is seven months old, was the carer for four other children.