A LEOMINSTER mother who cheated the benefits system out of more than £56,000 will be paying it off for the next 19 years and a judge told her she would be “well advised” to get a job.

Alison Cole, 53, of Caswell Road, admitted benefit fraud and was given a 12 month prison sentence suspended for two years at Worcester Crown Court.

The mum-of-three will also be under the supervision of the probation service for a year.

The court heard she had started claiming income support and housing and council tax benefits properly.

But she failed to tell the Department for Work and Pensions and Herefordshire Council when her partner, John Wall, moved back into her home.

She received fraudulent benefits of just over £56,000 from 2008 to 2013.

Judge Daniel Pearce-Higgins QC said Cole, whose eldest son, 20, is blind and autistic, with learning difficulties, was now having more than £60 a week deducted from her “modest” income to repay what she had defrauded.

By his reckoning it would take 19 years for her to repay it, together with any interest charged.

“If she has the time she would be well advised to earn money to support herself and her family,” added the judge.

Her eldest son had “profound” needs and she also had children of seven and two.

“Not surprisingly she has suffered from depression – her situation in life is not enviable,” said the judge.