A mother-of-two who failed to tell the authorities that she was living with her partner has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Bernadette Devanney, 36, was paid £29,000 in income support and other benefits between January 2004 and December 2006, but a court heard yesterday that she was now paying the overpayment back at the rate of £50-a-month.

Devanney, of Bierley House Avenue, Bierley, Bradford, admitted two offences of failing to notify either the Department of Work and Pensions or Bradford Council of the change in her circumstances when her partner, who was working, began living at her address.

Prosecutor Giles Bridge told Bradford Crown Court that on two occasions Bradford Council officers visited Devanney to check out her claim, but she told them that she was living at the address with her two children.

Devanney’s barrister Stephen Wood said she was a woman of previous good character and the money had been spent on household expenses and not luxuries.

The Honorary Recorder of Bradford Judge Stephen Gullick said Devanney had had the good sense to plead guilty to the offences He said because of Devanney’s current circumstances he did not think it was in the public interest to lock her up immediately and sentenced her to 51 weeks in prison suspended for two years. She will also have to do 120 hours unpaid work for the community.