A WOMAN falsely claimed £17,000 in benefits – despite having £33,000 sitting in her bank account.

Janet Ouchterlonie claimed Universal Credit, Housing Benefits and Jobseekers’ Allowance over the course of six years to help support her and her husband.

The 62-year-old of Meteor Road, Westcliff first made false statements in 2013 and then carried on over the next few years.

She did this without declaring to the Department of Work and Pensions her existing financial assets.

Ouchterlonie was eventually found out and charged with three separate offences dating back to 2013.

Prosecuting, Joe Bird told Basildon Crown Court yesterday that Ouchterlonie’s offending was fraudulent from the beginning.

He said: “The money was claimed over the course of six years.

“At the start of the claim, she over-claimed by failing to declare she had a little over £33,000 in her bank account.”

Mr Bird said over the course of the next few years Ouchterlonie would receive lump sums of cash, including from her pension fund and inheritance, but would never declare them to the government.

Mitigation for Ouchterlonie said she was “deeply remorseful” for her actions.

The court was told she had been “hardworking” for all of her life before this incident.

Ouchterlonie had used the money to help support her husband, who she had been separated from due to ongoing problems with alcohol.

However, she continued to support him after they split in 2010.

Ouchterlonie’s husband later died, and she felt she had “lost him to drink”.

The court was also told Ouchterlonie’s mother had died from cancer in 2014.

Judge Samantha Leigh chose not to send Ouchterlonie to prison.

She said: “You’re 62 years old and have never been in trouble before.

“These are three offences in relation to benefit claimed from 2013.

“It was fraudulent from the outset.

“You had inheritance but I accept this was not money taken to fund an extravagant lifestyle.

“It was to support yourself and your husband who you supported because of drinking.

“It was £17,000, you have already paid back £6,000.

“You have been hardworking, you have worked all your life. Your mother died of cancer, you are now on your own.”

Ouchterlonie was given a three year community order with 90 days of rehabilitation.

Judge Leigh added: “If you breach the order, you need to understand that you can be brought back to court, resentenced and you could go to prison.”