A BENEFITS cheat who claimed £5000 after saying she lived on her own was caught after a surveillance team spotted her partner going in and out of their shared home.

Cowdenbeath woman Lesley Marshall (37) appeared for sentencing at Dunfermline Sheriff Court on Wednesday.

She had earlier admitted obtaining £3000 of income support which she wasn't entitled between 1st January and 19th October 2015 after filling in a form saying she was a single person living alone when she was living with her partner who was in paid employment.

Marshall, of Sinclair Drive, also made a false statement to Fife Council officials when she stated on a housing benefit and council tax reduction form that she was a single person living along and, as a result, obtained £2000 to which she wasn't entitled between January 1 and October 18 2015.

Depute Fiscal, Dev Kapadia, said the authorities received information that she was not living by herself. "As a result of which, there was a period of authorised surveillance carried out at the accused's address for a period of nine days," he told the Court.

"Her partner was recorded on eight of the nine days entering or leaving the address. He was seen going to and from the address. Going to work and coming back from work."

Marshall's partner was also seen leaving with her and their children and putting bins out.

Solicitor, Stephen Morrison, said Marshall had been in a 19 year relationship with her partner and they had three children.

He said Ms Marshall had a problem with alcohol which brought some difficulties to the relationship.

"There were periods when the ex-partner moved out and there were periods when he would return on a daily basis to check on the children," he said. "When he did move out the property for the first time, Miss Marshall made a claim and, at that stage, that was legitimate.

"Clearly, she accepts that when he moved back in, she didn't declare he had moved back in.

"She appears to recognise the overall effect of this kind of behaviour in terms of the public purse and, as a first offender, she is genuinely embarrassed at making her appearance in Court."

Before sentencing Marshall, Sheriff Charles Macnair told her benefit fraud was a "major drain" to the public purse.

He placed her on a Community Payback Order in which she will have to complete 135 hours of unpaid work within six months.