A COUNCILLOR has praised anti-fraud officers after a benefit cheat was jailed for eight months this week.

Claire Fletcher, 36, of College Road, Harrow Weald, started claiming income support as well as housing and council tax benefit as a single mother of three in March 1999.

But in October 2001 she started living with her husband and sharing a bank account with him.

However, she did not tell Harrow Council about the change in her circumstances.

At Harrow Crown Court, Fletcher tried to justify her actions by saying she and her husband were not a couple and did not share a bedroom, but admitted he gave her financial support.

Councillor Paul Osborn, portfolio member for strategy and business support, said: "It's another step in our ongoing campaign to tackle fraud in the borough.

"We have detected over £1m of fraud in the borough and we have a really strong fraud team which has my ongoing support."

Fletcher admitted failing to inform the council of the change in her circumstances and was sentenced on Monday, January 30.