A 33-year-old Douglas make-up artist has been ordered to perform 150 community service after admitting to benefit fraud.

Heather Maddrell, of Berrywoods Avenue, received an overpayment of £8,043.25 after she did not money she had been earning from her work.

The court heard how Maddrell had been claiming Income Support benefit since May 2012.

However, the Department of Health and Social Care received information that between April 2016 and February 2017 Maddrell had not been declaring her full earnings.

She was interviewed at Markwell House and shown forms stating that she must declare all work.

Maddrell said that she had received the form five years ago but could not remember most of what it said.

She said that she had been offered work and had started with a small amount, being paid £30 per hour.

Maddrell admitted that she understood the forms and said she had thought her earnings would affect her benefits.

She told department staff: ’I’m really sorry about it all. It was the worst year of my life. I made a massive mistake. I rushed in every week and out again.’

Maddrell was said to have kept repeating that she had made an errror and added that she had ’been scared’.

When her earnings were queried she said: ’How could I write that down? I would get nothing.’

The court heard that, of the £8,043.25 overpaid, £7,751.05 was still outstanding.

Defending Maddrell in court her advocate Louise Cooil said: ’Ms Maddrell has been very accepting of her responsibility in this matter and has shown genuine remorse.

’It’s not a case where she has not declared any earnings. She has declared some earnings and would still have been entitled to some benefits.

’It has been said it occurred during the worst period of her life. Her former partner had been diagnosed with cancer. She was the sole carer for her children. It led to a position where she knew she had to make her family’s future secure and she panicked.

’It’s not the largest amount and not over a vast amount of time. She has immediately begun to repay the debt.’

Ms Cooil went on to say that Maddrell had since reorganised her finances and was now receiving Employed Person’s Benefit instead of Income Support.

Deputy High Bailiff Jayne Hughes said while passing sentence: ’It was a serious offence. Money that should have been going to people entitled to it was diverted to you.

’You have lost your good character for an offence of dishonesty and it may impact on your future as far as job prospects are concerned.’

Maddrell was also ordered to pay £50 prosecution costs.