A MOTHER who pretended she had separated from her husband when he secured a job in Dubai dishonestly claimed more than £10,000 in benefits, a court heard.

District judge Stephen Harmes said Abby Mumford’s crime was so serious custody was an option when she appeared at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court in County Durham on Thursday.

Mrs Mumford, from Harris Street, Darlington, failed to tell Darlington Borough Council her husband, Steven, had secured work in Dubai, resulting in a housing benefit over payment of £6,330 between December 2013 and February this year.

Instead, the 28-year-old told the council and the Department of Work and Pensions she had separated from him, claiming an additional £4,332 in income support over the same period.

The total over payment was £10,662.34.

Mrs Mumford, who flies out to join her husband in Dubai on Saturday, pleaded guilty to two charges of making a false statement to obtain benefit and a further charge of failing to notify chance of circumstances.

No mitigation was given at the hearing but her solicitor Amrit Jandoo said his client had found a job at a nursery in Dubai and was already paying back the money at a rate of about £180 per month.

Judge Harmes sentenced Mrs Mumford to a two year conditional discharge and almost doubled the rate she will have to pay the money it back.

On top of the existing repayments, she will have to pay back £6,080 over 36 months.

He said: “You really could be facing custody for this due to the deliberate nature of what you did.”