A SOUTHAMPTON woman defrauded the government of more than £60,000 in benefits – claiming she was unemployed despite secretly working for a telephone sex line.

Samantha Knight had jobs with Excel Telemedia and Datapro Services in order to pay for the upkeep of her 11 dogs.

The 64-year-old, who has previous convictions for dishonesty, also claimed to be living in a rented property in Southampton, but actually lived in a fully mortgaged £120,000 home in Millbridge Gardens, Sholing.

At Southampton Crown Court, Knight was sentenced to six months imprisonment for showing a “flagrant disregard” to the benefits system.

For more than 10 years between 2007 and 2018, Knight made fake claims to receive income support, housing benefit and council tax benefits.

Throughout those times she was contacted twice by the Department for Work and Pensions, asking if her circumstances had changed. Each time she said they hadn’t, the court heard.

Prosecutor Richard Griffiths said: “She initially started correctly claiming the benefits in 2003, but then started working on an adult sex line, where presumably she discussed adult matters with people who called in..”

He added: “In an interview with police, she admitted making the claims...’for the upkeep of my animals’. She also said she had too many dogs and that she started working ‘because they cost more money’.”

In mitigation, Charles Durrant told the court that one point, Knight, who pleaded guilty to three counts of fraud, had 11 pet dogs to help her cope with depression and anxiety.

“She had become quite isolated in her own home and struggled with these issues,” Mr Durrant said.

“As she spent more and more time at home she took great solace in spending time with the dogs.”

Mr Durrant added that in order to pay back the £63,800 the Department of Work and Pensions believe she fraudulently claimed, Knight had sold her home and was planning to relocate to Sheffield.

In sentencing Knight, Judge Nicholas Rowland said: “You were using taxpayer money to fund the 11 dogs you were keeping.

“In cases like this fraud of this kind is bad enough, but to do it with the dog aspect of your life shows a flagrant disregard to the benefit system.”