Nicola Finch (31) of Grangemill Walk Moston, was convicted on 5 February 2010 of dishonestly obtaining income support, housing benefit and council tax benefit amounting to £32,214.00.

Finch pleaded guilty to obtaining housing and council tax benefit and income support between April 2005 and March 2009 after failing to disclose that she was working full time.

She was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court to 4 months in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered to do 180 hours unpaid work.

City Council's counter fraud officers, and officers from the Department for Work and Pensions, uncovered the offences while undertaking data matching exercises designed to detect fraudulent and incorrect payments of benefit.

Councillor Bernard Priest, Executive Member for Finance for Manchester City Council, said: "This woman has been stealing from the people of Manchester and I am pleased that council staff uncovered the deception.  The message is clear to these people: we will find out and we will prosecute."

Richard Paver, City Treasurer, said: "The whole community suffers when individuals commit a crime of this nature. Not only does it reduce the money available to those with a genuine entitlement, but it also increases the burden on the council taxpayer.

This case demonstrates our determination to ensure that offenders are dealt with using the full force of the law and do not profit from their crime, and I can assure the residents of Manchester that in addition to the penalties handed down by the courts we shall use all methods at our disposal to vigorously recover the money this woman dishonestly obtained."

Manchester has a free, confidential Benefit Fraud Hotline, which members of the public can use to report benefit fraud. The number is: 0800 783 9668.

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