A COWDENBEATH woman who was still claiming job seekers allowance after receiving a sum of inheritance has been convicted of benefit fraud.

Karen Young falsely stated to the Department of Work and Pensions that she only had a capital of £180, although three deposits of £10,000 were made into a TSB Savers' Account held in her name.

Depute fiscal, Dev Kapadia, told Dunfermline Sheriff Court that the deposits had exceeded the limit of £16,000 in savings she could have had.

"When she attended an interview she said she had opened an account on behalf of her brother so he could receive money from their mother's previous estate."

Young, 53, of Walker Street, previously admitted that between April 13 and December 11, 2015, at Walker Street and elsewhere, she did, with a view to obtaining a benefit, knowingly make to officials of the Department of Work and Pensions a false statement or representation, namely on Jobseekers Allowance claim that she possessed capital of £180, the truth being that she had capital in excess of the upper prescribed limit and did thereby obtain Jobseekers Allowance Income based of £2,537.61 to which she was not entitled. She also admitted to the same between April 13 and December 13, 2015, having falsely claimed £1,965.81 in Housing Benefit.

"The source of the money is from an inheritance that was controlled by Ms Young," explained defence solicitor, Keith Robertson.

"It is a sum of money that she had not had the likes of before. She used the money to go on holiday, improve her house and she also gave some money to her children.

"She knows that this should have been declared to benefits but things were difficult. Ms Young was very close to her mother and saw her every day.

"She has been suffering from depression but she's receiving help. The total cost of benefit claimed was £4500.45."

Sheriff Charles Macnair told Young: "You had a significant amount of capital and you still claimed benefit. Benefit fraud of this sort is easy to commit and not so easy to detect."

She was sentenced to 125 hours of unpaid work.