Fareham benefits cheat Donna-Marie Davenport given 45 years to pay off £30k

Married Donna-Marie Davenport told the authorities she was a single mum and needed financial help to look after her two children.

But the 39-year-old, of Park Walk in Fareham, was eventually investigated and council surveillance teams spotted husband Jason Case returning home on a moped.

She is currently paying back £13.20 a week. At that rate it will take her nearly 45 years to pay off the total.

Davenport started claiming housing and council tax benefit in October 2006 based on being a lone parent. By 2008 this status had changed to her being in part-time employment.

In March this year, she was under investigation by Fareham Borough Council and when it became clear what sums were involved, police were called in and made an arrest.

The mum-of-two admitted she had been married since 2005 and pleaded guilty to charges against her. Interviews and evidence revealed that there had been an overpayment of housing and council tax benefit totalling £26,039.74 and income support totalling £4,369.80.

In mitigation, Fareham Magistrates Court heard how she had claimed the money in a genuine bid to support her children and that the whole family had been given a "reality check" by the court proceedings.

She was handed her a four-month jail term, suspended for a year subject to a nine-month supervision order, and was also ordered to undertake 200 hours of unpaid work.