A BENEFITS cheat who was caught after a DWP probe into her bank accounts has been spared prison.

Kate Cooke spent three years claiming income-related Employment Support Allowance to which she wasn’t entitled at a variety of addresses, including a chalet at Inverbeg Holiday Park on the shores of Loch Lomond.

Cooke, 33, appeared at Dumbarton Sheriff Court on August 10 after admitting a charge of obtaining £9,416 to which she was not entitled between June 2010 and June 2013.

She did not tell DWP officials that she was married, living with and being financially supported by her partner.

Cooke’s solicitor, Ian Brechany, told Friday’s court hearing that his client had already repaid £27,000 to the DWP – but admitted that he had “no idea” how Cooke was going to pay back the outstanding money.

Mr Brechany told the court Cooke was also in receipt of other benefits, relating to a disability, and had mistakenly believed that this meant she didn’t have to tell the DWP about any change in her circumstances.

He added: “She accepts she was doing wrong.”

Sheriff John Hamilton handed Cooke, of Ochil Road in Renfrew, a community payback order under which she must do 180 hours of unpaid community work within nine months.

She was also placed under social workers’ supervision until August 2019.

Sheriff Hamilton said: “This is a direct alternative to custody. The court would be fully entitled to impose a custodial sentence, but in your case I think that is not appropriate.”