A SOUTHAMPTON woman who cheated benefits for years has narrowly avoided a jail sentence.

Shakunta Kaur, 27, and her husband Guljar Singh, 28, repeatedly lied to claim income support, council tax benefit and housing benefit, Winchester Crown Court heard.

Kaur unlawfully claimed £43,901 between 2001 and 2007, while her husband snaffled £6,841 in jobseekers’ allowance between 2006-07, said Gareth Munday, prosecuting.

Kaur, a mother of two children aged seven and three, pleaded guilty to two offences, while Singh admitted two others. Both defendants, of Dundee Road, Portswood, were of previous good character.

The court heard that so far Kaur had repaid just £118. A confiscation hearing will be held to determine what should happen to some £30,000 found in Kaur’s bank account, said Mr Munday.

Sentencing, Judge Tom Longbotham said that Kaur was close to a year-long sentence. He said that she had also lied in court to him at an earlier hearing.

He said: “She does not understand the difference between honest and dishonest behaviour.”

He rejected a pre-sentence report from the probation service that recommended a conditional discharge for Kaur.

The judge sentenced Kaur to nine months in prison, suspended for two years, and imposed a supervision order.

Singh was given a community order to do 150 hours’ unpaid work and to attend sessions with an education and employment advisor.

The judge said: “You cannot expect the state to support you and not make your own efforts, and furthermore, you cannot expect to remain unpunished if you are dishonest about the benefits you receive.”