A WOMAN cheated the taxpayer out of more than £50,000 by claiming benefits whilst working for a supermarket chain.

Christina Noller claimed she could not work due to depression but continued to claim a raft of benefits while she was in fact employed for six years.

Southampton Crown Court heard how she is now paying the money back - but still continues to receive benefits.

Jonathan Underhill, prosecuting, told how Noller claimed incapacity benefit from May 2005 on the basis she was not able to work due to depression.

These payments from the Department of Work and Pensions continued until November 2011, however it was found she had started working full-time for the Co-op store at a petrol station in Millbrook from May 2008, the court heard.

During this time she received £17,613 she was not entitled to.

She did not inform anyone although she was capable of work and remained in employment until February 2014, said Mr Underhill.

The 50-year-old also claimed employment support allowance for a year from November 2011, totalling £12,585.

She also received benefits from Southampton City Council from 2008 to 2014 in relation to housing benefit of £18,695 and council tax of £4,483.

The claims all were on the basis that she could not work and had no other income.

In total Noller got £53,377 in overpayments she should not have received.

Noller, of Monks Way, Swaythling, pleaded guilty to three counts of dishonestly failing to notify a change of circumstances, one count of fraud by failing to disclose information and one count of dishonestly making a false representation.

Noller's basis of plea was that someone else was the driving force behind what she had done and she had been taken advantage of.

Her defence claimed someone else had filled out the forms and she had signed them.

Guy Draper, mitigating, said she was also suffering from alcohol problems, depression and anxiety at the time of the offences and the court heard she still suffered from depression and alcohol dependence syndrome, according to doctors.

He said this was an isolated matter and she was sorry.

The court heard Noller has debts of £8,000 and is now receiving employment support allowance of £240 a fortnight. She is paying back the money at a rate of £7.40 a week.

Judge Peter Henry, in sentencing, said: "It's not Government money that's being taken, it's the money that is the product of hard working people who pay their tax and contribute so people who are disadvantaged can receive proper benefits."

Noller was given an eight month prison sentence suspended for two years, with a supervision requirement of 12 months and a specified activity requirement and ordered to pay £250 prosecution costs at £10 a fortnight.