A woman has narrowly avoided prison after claiming almost £20,000 in benefits while working at a pub.

Kathryn Kelly, 53, began claiming income support but just a month later began working at the Old Market Inn in Douglas.

Kelly, of Snaefell Road in Willaston, previously admitted one count of benefit fraud at the lower courts. She appeared at the Court of General Gaol Delivery for sentence on Friday.

Hazel Carroon, prosecuting, told the court Kelly began claiming benefits in January 2023 but in November 2024 she walked into the social security office in Markwell and admitted she had been working at the city centre pub for much of the time she had been claiming benefits.

When interviewed, she gave a full and frank admission and said she began working at the pub a month after she began receiving income support. She also had a Revolut account she never told the authorities about.

Ms Carroon said: ‘The defendant said she knew it was wrong, but she had no other choice because she needed the money.’

In total, Kelly fraudulently claimed £19,646 in benefits. She also committed the offence while on licence after she was jailed in 2020 for a drug dealing offence.

Deemster Graeme Cook said he was prepared to suspend any prison sentence because she had shown remorse and had self-reported the benefit fraud.

But he warned her she cannot keep saying she has committed an offence because she needs the money and warned her, she could end up back in prison.

Kelly was handed an eight-month prison sentence which has been suspended for one year with a year’s supervision. She was also ordered to pay £2,000 in compensation to go towards the amount of income support she fraudulently claimed.