A CARE assistant who fraudulently claimed benefits by failing to declare a £16,000 legacy has been spared an immediate prison sentence.

Angela Dixon, 41, formerly of Skipton, and now of Parkwood Street, Keighley, fleeced the taxpayer out of almost £24,000 over four years.

She pleaded guilty to eight charges of dishonestly making a false statement to claim Employment Support Allowance, Housing and Council Tax benefit and Jobseekers Allowance, between October, 2010, and September, 2014.

She received a total overpayment of £23,931 but had paid more than half of it back.

Dixon admitted the offences at Skipton Magistrates Court and was sent to Bradford Crown Court for sentence.

On Friday, Abigail Langford, prosecuting, said that Dixon was left £16,000 by an aunt and failed to declare the bequest, meant for her teenage daughter, when she claimed benefits.

Dixon's barrister, Camille Morland, said she had paid back almost £14,000 and was clearing the outstanding sum at £40 a week.

Dixon, a widow, was described as "very very naive" by her probation officer. She was a woman of previous good character bringing up her daughter on her own.

Judge Jonathan Rose sentenced Dixon to eight months imprisonment, suspended for two years, with 120 hours of unpaid work.

He said her benefits claim was fraudulent from the outset. She had stolen from members of the public making tax contributions to help people in need.