A fraudster who falsely claimed she was a widow to claim more benefits has narrowly avoided a jail term.

Dorothy Olaniyi was busted following an investigation by Lambeth Council's benefit fraud team.

The 43-year-old from Brixton married in 2001, but failed to declare it when making benefit claims.

She received £23,000 in payments she was not entitled to by saying she was a widow and a single parent.

Olaniyi pleaded guilty to three charges, one of failing to declare a change in circumstances and two of dishonestly producing a false document.

She was sentenced at Inner London Crown Court on April 16 to six months imprisonment, suspended for two years.

In addition she was given a community order for two years with an unpaid work requirement of 250 hours.

Mohammed Khan, Lambeth Council’s divisional director of internal audit and counter fraud, said: “People who claim benefit they are not entitled to deprive those who are.

"They also reduce our ability to deliver frontline services because they are illegally taking money from the public purse.

"We thank the court for its tough line and hope it serves as a deterrent to others.”