A mother-of-three who illegally claimed more than £10,000 in benefits was caught after she posted comments on Facebook about a partner she failed to mention in her claim.

Gemma Leanne Dunn, 28, admitted three offences of making false statements between 2013 and 2015 – two involving Income Support and one involving employment and support allowance.

The defendant, of Greenmore Road, Egremont, claimed a total of £10,579 in benefits that she was not entitled to.

Pamela Fee, prosecuting at Carlisle's Rickergate magistrates court, said the defendant failed to mention in her various claims that she was living with a man called Simon Bartlett.

There was evidence she was not contributing to household expenses.

Yet investigators from the Department for Work and Pensioners (DWP) found clear evidence the couple were living at the relevant time as man and wife, by checking Dunn's Facebook posts.

“She was asked why she wrote posts portraying that they were a family unit,” said Miss Fee.

“The investigators pointed out numerous posts about her making tea for Simon when he came in from work; posts saying they were watching TV together.”

When challenged she had become agitated, said the prosecutor, and insisted that they were not a couple.

She then became upset and said that she wanted to move into another house which needed to be done up.

Craig Smith, for Dunn, said the defendant had no previous convictions and was devastated to be in court.

She had originally been in a relationship with Mr Bartlett but it was an on-off relationship, said the lawyer.

There had been times when they were together during periods which spilled over into the time when she was claiming the benefit, but the pattern had been that they would be together for a few days and then they would break up.

“She was in the process of trying to find alternative accommodation,” said Mr Smith. “But she does accept that if she fell back into that relationship it was something that would have altered her benefits position.

“It was something she should have told the DWP.... She accepts she was remiss in her actions.”

Dunn was being supported by her family but would now have repay all of the money she wrongly claimed.

Magistrates imposed a community order, which included an eight week 7pm to 7am curfew, along with costs of £85, and a victim surcharge of £60.