A 63-year-old Castletown woman has admitted 10 counts of benefit fraud which resulted in her being overpaid £16,963.

Alison Mary Phillips failed to declare that she was receiving earnings from her business ‘Something Different’.

She will be sentenced in summary court on November 24.

Prosecuting advocate Barry Swain told the court how Phillips, who lives at Orry Place, started claiming incapacity benefit in 2012 and that her benefit claim had been genuine at the outset.

However, she was said to have later started working via her own business, ‘Something Different’, a gift shop.

Her fraudulent claim was said to have been made between July 2016 and April 2020.

Mr Swain said that the 10 counts of benefit fraud were specimen charges and that the overall amount Phillips had received, which she was not entitled to, had been £16,963.45.

The prosecutor submitted that the case was suitable to remain in summary court for sentencing.

The court heard that she has no previous convictions.

Defence advocate Paul Glover asked for a probation report to be prepared before sentencing as he said there was a background to the offences which should be considered.

Magistrates accepted summary court jurisdiction and ordered that the probation report consider all sentencing options, including custody.

Bail was granted in the sum of £500 with a condition to contact probation services and co-operate in the preparation of the report.