A WOMAN who claimed almost £20,000 in benefits she was not entitled to, failed to disclose she had been bequeathed a house by a neighbour.

Bradford Crown Court was told that Rukhsana Butt, 56, used some of the money from the house to pay off her husband's gambling debts.

Prosecutor Clare Walsh said Butt failed to declare to the Department of Work and Pensions she was the owner of the neighbour's property, left to her in a will in August 2012.

Mrs Walsh said the property was sold in December 2014 for around £74,500 and the proceeds were deposited in Butt's account. Mrs Walsh said £20,000 was withdrawn in cash and £48,000 was transferred to Butt's ex-husband's account.

When interviewed, Butt said she was told to distribute the money when the property was sold. She spent £18,000, borrowed from family members, on renovating the property.

Butt, of Sandford Road, Bradford Moor, Bradford, pleaded guilty to two charges of making false statements to obtain Employment and Support Allowance, and one of dishonestly failing to notify Bradford Council of a change in circumstances which she knew would affect her entitlement to housing and council tax benefits.

Mrs Walsh said the total overpayment to Butt from her false claims was £19,292.

A probation officer told the court that Butt had explained her neighbour had left the property for Butt's husband to pay off gambling debts. She owed council tax and lived with her daughter, who she relied on to support her. She said Butt had had surgery for facial spasms. Further surgery was required. She also had a growth above her eardrum.

Butt's barrister, Nigel Edwards, said the house was dilapidated and his client had been given oral instructions to renovate it. She was of good character and had pleaded guilty.

Judge Jonathan Rose told Butt she had obtained money from the State, to which she was not entitled, over a prolonged period.

He said: "That deprives those who are most in need. You had a substantial amount of money at your disposal and could, and should, have used that."

He sentenced Butt to six months imprisonment suspended for two years and ordered her to carry out 150 hours unpaid community work.