A WOMAN who cheated the system of more than £68,000 in benefits was caught after her daughter was named winner of a Bonny Baby competition.

The photograph, published in the Oxford Mail, which showed her children and partner, set alarm bells ringing at West Oxfordshire District Council because Lucy Bradley, then unmarried and using her maiden name of Odley, had been claiming benefits as a lone parent.

Following one of the biggest fraud investigations the council has worked on, it brought a prosecution against her with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

Bradley, of Acacia Close, Carterton, admitted six counts of dishonestly obtaining more than £68,000 in benefits through false representation, as well as failing to declare a change in circumstances.

The 34-year-old mother-of-seven was given a nine-month suspended sentence at Oxford Crown Court yesterday.

The court heard that between 2001 and 2006, Bradley had been claiming income support, housing benefit and child tax benefit as a single mother.

But she had, in fact, been living with Mr Bradley, who ran a gardening business.

Prosecutor Martin Hooper said she initially told investigators she had split up with him, but later admitted they were still in a relationship.

She said his business was not doing well and he did not contribute much money to the family. Mr Bradley told investigators the business was doing very well.

Peter Coombe, defending Bradley, said she had a "tempestuous" relationship with Mr Bradley, now her husband, and he spent large amounts of time away.

Mr Coombe said she was the prime carer for her seven children, two of whom have disabilities, and Mr Bradley did not offer much assistance financially.

He said: "She wanted to make sure the money came into her pocket so she was able to pay for her family, which is a far cry from the cases where people rip off the state in order to enjoy themselves."

The court heard had Bradley not lied about her circumstances, she would still have been entitled to a similar amount of benefits.

Sentencing Bradley, who had no previous convictions, Recorder Guy Hungerford said he would not jail her because of the impact on her family. But he said she had behaved "thoroughly dishonestly". He said: "In this country it is and has been for a long time, part of Government policy to assist those who need it with financial help, living expenses, housing and so forth.

"It is provided for those who need it.

"There is a limited amount of money and the money must go to those who truly and honestly need it and not to those who tell lies and from their dishonesty, get money from a fund set aside for needy people."