Three benefits cheats who fraudulently claimed more than £20,000 have been prosecuted by West Oxfordshire District Council.

Joanna Gilner, 29, of Northfield Row, Witney, admitted two charges of fraudulently claiming £3,162.21.

Gilner failed to notify the council and the Department for Work and Pensions about a change to her circumstances while claiming housing and council tax benefits and income support.

Banbury magistrates gave her a 60 hour community punishment and ordered her to pay £100 in costs.

Natalie Smith, 36, of Park Road, Witney, admitted to three charges of fraudulently obtaining £7,933.58.

Smith, who appeared at Oxford Magistrates’ Court, failed to notify the council and the DWP about changes to her circumstances.

She was given a 50 hour community punishment and ordered to pay £75 costs.

Howard Haslam, 58, of Elm Grove in Brize Norton, was given a two-year conditional discharge at Oxford Magistrates’ Court.

Haslam claimed £13,455.45 in housing and council tax benefits and income support after he failed to notify the council and the DWP about a change of circumstance.

West Oxfordshire District Council and the DWP both plan to recover the money that was fraudulently obtained in all three cases.