A FRAUDSTER who denied having a husband in order to claim more than £30,000 in benefits has been jailed.

For 12 years Ann Johnson, 63, repeatedly claimed on forms that she was not living with a partner at her home in Symes Road, Hamworthy, despite the fact her husband Darren Johnson resided there frequently throughout that period.

On Tuesday, Bournemouth Crown Court heard Johnson was visited by Borough of Poole officers in 2005 and confirmed the false claim in person, also informing them that she had changed jobs.

Prosecutor Nick Cotter said: “This is important as it shows she was aware she had to notify the council of any changes affecting her claim.”

In total she falsely claimed £33,323.

Jailing Johnson for seven months, Recorder JP Swift said: “In my view this was a long term fraud. You decided to try and get away with it.”

Johnson, of Norton Way, Poole, initially denied the charges but changed her pleas to guilty on the day of the trial.

In mitigation, Guy Draper called on the judge to suspend the sentence as he said his client had admitted the offences during her police interview and only entered not guilty pleas as she misunderstood the charges.

“She is remorseful, she is ashamed of herself,” he said.

However the judge said the offences were “too serious”.

The court heard Johnson had been claiming housing and council tax benefit since 1997 but there were no records from before 2000.

She had informed the council about various changes of employment, having worked at the Potters Arms pub, as a cleaner at Poole Hospital and at Yates bar.

Several sums of money had been transferred into her bank account by her husband at different times, but Mr Draper said this had all later been withdrawn by Mr Johnson and she hadn’t benefited.

Ann Johnson pleaded guilty to four counts of making a false representation to gain benefit and one count of failing to notify the council of a change in her circumstances – namely an increase in her working hours from 16 to 33 hours.

She had previously received two warnings about the latter offence.