Musselburgh woman admits claiming £25,000 benefits she was not entitled to

Vivienne Stewart pleaded guilty to claiming £12,000 of income support over a five-year period and a further £13,000 of child tax credits over a similar period to which she was not entitled.

Stewart, of Stoneybank Gardens South, continued to claim the cash despite the fact that two children in her care were no longer living in the house.

The 36-year-old first offender was interviewed by local authority officials over the payments and she gave a full admission as to what she had been doing.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told that Stewart had already made inroads to paying the cash back and had so far returned about £600.

Sheriff Frank Crowe ordered a restriction of liberty assessment and deferred sentence to September 27.

Stewart admitted to claiming £25,000 in income support and child tax credits she was not entitled to between March 24, 2009, and September 1, 2014.