A mother-of-two who pocketed more than £45,000 in housing benefit while her own mum was giving her thousands of pounds has been warned she may be sent to jail.

Bonnie Ridge, 30, claimed £100 a week housing benefit for a house in Brighton, which is owned by her mother.

But she failed to declare her mother gave her thousands of pounds in cash and did not always collect the rent.

At Brighton Crown Court Ridge admitted five charges of benefit fraud between 2002 and 2007.

Judge Cedric Joseph adjourned sentence until September 21. He told the court: "A custodial sentence is very highly likely. She must be under no illusion about that."

Ridge, who was no previous convictions, was released on bail.

She began claiming rent from Brighton and Hove City Council for the four-bedroom house in Peel Road in 2000.

She told the council her mother was the landlady of the semi-detached property, which has two bathrooms.

Ridge claimed she was a single parent and she was working part-time for local firm T.G. Fruits.

Ridge also claimed she only had one bank account and also a Post Office account for receiving benefits.

But after a tip-off from a member of the public in January 2007 a council investigation revealed evidence of other bank accounts which had not been declared.

Ridge had ten different accounts with banks and building societies and checks showed thousands of pounds had been passing in and out.

She told investigators the money in her accounts was given to her by her mother.

Ridge also admitted that her mother frequently gave her more cash in a week than the amount of rent she charged or she did not collect the rent.

The council concluded that her tenancy was non-commercial and the total overpayment of public money between July 2001 and November 2007 is £45,047.

After the hearing Councillor Ayas Fallon-Khan, Brighton and Hove City Council’s cabinet member for central services, said: “This case sends out a clear message that this council is determined to track down and prosecute benefit cheats.

"This kind of benefit fraud means honest council taxpayers end up subsidising cheats. Benefits are for those who genuinely need them - not for fraudsters.”