DOLE cheat Joanne Hunter was jailed for 12 weeks after she admitted falsely claiming almost £7,000 in benefits.

The 34-year-old said she claimed the cash because her husband, who was taking home £20,000 a year, was squandering the money on drugs.

But despite asking magistrates to impose a custodial sentence because Hunter also had a drug problem, she appealed against the sentence asking to be released early.

Tim Hill, for the Crown, said that Hunter had falsely claimed income support from April 17, 2003 through to September 25, 2003 she received a total of £3,879.

During the same period she also got £2,595 in housing benefit and another £356 in council tax benefit.

Mr Hill said: "She stated that that she and her partner had no source of income except for child benefit.

"In fact he was working as a labourer earning in the region of £1,700 a month.

"She said her partner was a drug addict and he was spending all the income on drugs."

Hunter, of Grafton Road, Penhill, pleaded guilty to making a false representation.

Rob Ross, for Hunter, said: "She had used drugs and she was in a poor state.

"She came to the court and indicated she wanted to go to custody."

He said that although the case was on the borderline of a custodial sentence, the magistrates imposed 12 weeks.

Mr Ross said that she detoxified on entering prison and she received help during the first few weeks inside, so was now clean.

But now she was on a normal wing she feared the temptation of drugs.

Judge Tom Long-botham, sitting with magistrates, dismissed the appeal saying they thought there was nothing wrong with the original sentence.

Hunter, who has already served five weeks of the sentence, is expected to be released next week.

Jamie Hill