A MOTHER who fraudulently claimed more than £24,000 in benefits was handed a 12-month suspended sentence.

Rita Musyimi, of Barnett Road, Steventon, was sentenced at Oxford Crown Court yesterday.

The 38-year-old admitted two counts of dishonest representation for obtaining a benefit, on October 26 and December 15, 2004.

She also admitted one count of using a false instrument on November 12, 2004.

Prosecutor Simon Sandford said Musyimi came to the UK from Kenya in 1996 on a student visa. He said she was given a false national insurance number and used a false date of birth to apply to stay in the country as a student between 1997 and 2003.

The prosecutor said Musyimi claimed housing benefit and council tax benefit from Vale of White Horse District Council using the fraudulent information on October 26.

He said she showed the council a fake passport on November 12 after officers had asked to see proof she was a British national, as she had claimed.

Mr Sandford said she claimed income support and social fund payments from the Department for Work and Pensions on December 15, using false personal information again.

He said she claimed £1,000 in social fund payments and £10,563.20 in income support, as well as £12,897.99 in housing and council tax benefits from Vale of White Horse District Council.

Defence barrister Benjamin Newton said Musyimi felt “remorse”.

He added: “The fact that at the time this offence was committed, she was still fairly young. She was in her later 20s. Compared to where she is now, I submit there was a lot of immaturity.”

Judge Patrick Eccles handed Musyimi a 12-month sentence, suspended for two years, as well as 200 hours community service.

He said: “It was persistent, devious and dishonest on your part. I simply do not accept that you don’t know what you were getting yourself into.”