A 47-year-old swindler has admitted committing a £53,239 benefit fraud.

Pauline Elaine Bennett failed to declare that she had a friend living with her and pleaded guilty to eight counts of false representation to obtain a benefit.

Magistrates declined jurisdiction saying the case was too serious for them.

Bennett, of Fairy Hill Close, Port Erin, will be sentenced at the Court of General Gaol Delivery - which can impose harsher sentences - on July 23.

Prosecuting advocate Barry Swain told the court that Bennett had started claiming Employed Person’s Allowance (EPA) in November 2016 and had also claimed income support for a brief period during the lockdown.

She claimed EPA on the basis of being a single mother and did not declare that anyone else was living in her home despite a male friend living with her.

Mr Swain said that the claim had been fraudulent from the outset and the overpayment in benefits totalled £53,239.21.

Defence advocate Jane Gray entered a basis of plea for her client in which Bennett said the man had been assisting her with her children and they were not in a relationship.

She said that she had not received any money towards the household from him until recently and he had been using her bank account because his own account had been closed.

Mr Swain said that the basis would have to be considered before sentencing to decide if it was acceptable to the prosecution.

Magistrates ordered that a probation report be prepared before sentencing.

Bail was granted in the sum of £500 with conditions to reside at her home address and contact probation.