SHE claimed tens of thousands of pounds in taxpayers' money by claiming she was a single mum with no income.

In reality however mother-of-three Michelle Teague was not only married but had held down three jobs across Southampton while conning the system out of nearly £40,000.

Yet despite admitting her deception Teague may still escape a jail term because her teenage daughter was stabbed on a bus in Dorset 12 months ago and needs her mum's help to recover.

The 14-year-old, along with her two friends, were attacked last August in what police described as a sustained and frenzied' knife as they went to get off a bus in Bridport.

Officers said the stabbing had come about after an argument on the bus between the group of teenagers and a 20-year-old man. He is now due to be sentenced this week.

Teague's defence team said the stabbing had had a profound effect on the youngster, who had needed counselling, and who still had flashbacks from the incident.

Accordingly they asked the judge to spare Teague a jail term for the sake of her daughter.

Adjourning sentencing, Judge Roger Hetherington said he wanted to see a doctor's report into the mental state of Charlotte before he decided what to do.

He said: "I take into view the scale and period of this fraud is such that it can only be dealt with by way of a custodial sentence. The only question is whether I have jurisdiction to suspend a sentence and there are exceptional circumstances.

"The only exceptional circumstances is the situation regarding Charlotte. I don't believe I have sufficient expert opinion about that before me. I need more."

Teague admitted nine counts of ripping off the benefits agency to the tune of £38,000 when she appeared before Southampton Crown Court last week.

The court was told the 37-year-old had been making false claims for income support, income tax benefit and council tax benefit over a period of three years and eight months. Initially her claims were legitimate but after Teague's partner moved in and they later married, she still renewed the claims.

The prosecution said that while she was claiming, Teague had also worked in Southampton as a barmaid in a social club, a shop assistant and as a classroom assistant.

Mr Stemp told the city crown court that when investigators went to Teague's home in Warren Avenue, Shirley Warren, they found it had been "abandoned" but in a pile of post which had built up, there was information which led to a caravan park at West Bay, Dorset where she was arrested.

She is due to be sentenced later this month.