A Telford mother-of-four has been warned by a judge that she could face a prison sentence after admitting falsely claiming almost £33,000 in benefits.

For three years Michelle Marie McIlwaine was said to have failed to notify the Department for Work and Pensions that her husband was in full-time work. She appeared at Telford Magistrates Court yesterday.

Thirty-five year-old McIlwaine pleaded guilty to three charges relating to over payments of income support, incapacity benefit and housing and council tax benefits.

Deputy District Judge David Stott adjourned sentence for a week for reports and told McIlwaine that all punishment options would be considered, including custody.

The court heard that McIlwaine, of Warrensway, Woodside, had failed to inform the DWP that James McIlwaine was working between February, 2002, and October, 2005.

Support

Miss Catherine Thomas, prosecuting, said that the defendant had failed to notify the department about the changes to her circumstances having applied for the benefits.

She told the court McIlwaine was overpaid by £9,590 for incapacity benefit and almost £12,000 in income support during the same period and received a further £11,000 in housing and council tax payments. The court heard that a voluntary scheme was in place for McIlwaine to repay the money.

Mr Chris Grainger, defending, said that his client had no previous convictions and accepted that what she had done was wrong and that it had been a “foolish course of action”.

Rocky

He said that McIlwaine and her husband had a volatile relationship and had been going through a rocky period and separated in 2002, although they were still under the same roof.

“They were still married, but she had no financial support from her husband,” Mr Grainger said.

“Had she kicked him out she would have been entitled to the benefits.”

He added that the couple were now reconciled.

The court was told that similar charges against 40-year-old James McIlwaine had been withdrawn.