Judge raps Tipton £58k fiddle mother

A mother of three who pocketed more than £58,000 in a benefits fiddle was told by a judge that such cheating caused "outrage" among the law abiding public.

Vanessa Baker was given state handouts when her marriage collapsed which she continued to collect for more than three years after the couple got back together again, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard yesterday.

Baker, aged 39, whose children are all aged under 16, received income support along with council tax and housing benefits.

The Department of Work and Pensions launched an investigation after a tip-off that her husband had returned to live with her.

It was found he had given the couple's home as his permanent address to his employer, while taking out loans and when taxing his car.

Baker, of Geneva Road, Tipton, wept as it was revealed that her lies had resulted in benefit overpayments totalling £58,391 between 2004 and 2009.

She was given a six-month prison sentence suspended for a year, ordered to do 200 hours unpaid work and told to pay £450 costs.