A mother-of-eight who fleeced a council out of more than £41,000 in benefits because she was sinking in debt has been spared immediate jail.

Elizabeth Clayton, 49, began legitimately claiming income support in 1995 but failed to inform authorities her husband had found work as a cleaner in 2000.

She continued to claim cash she was not entitled to for more than five years before the Department of Work and Pensions tripped her up.

Lewes Crown Court heard Clayton, who legitimately claims disability benefit for a bad back, was £10,000 in debt and was struggling to keep her head above water.

Rowland Morris, prosecuting, told the court: "She was in receipt of income support and disability benefit from 1995 to 2005.

"She failed to tell them of a change in circumstances when her husband started work. She signed a declaration where she did not put the truth.

"So she was receiving both income support and her husband's wages. There was an overpayment of £41,322.13p of public money.

"She was interviewed and blamed a lack of information but made admissions. She has begun to repay the debt and £20.75 per week is deducted from her disability benefit."

The court heard Clayton, of Buckingham Road, St Leonards, who admitted benefit fraud, is likely to be paying back the debt for the rest of her life.

John Marsden-Lynch, defending, said: "This was not motivated by greed or any addiction. It was simply the dire situation she found herself in.

"She is a simple lady who was overwhelmed by an avalanche of debt. She saw this as an opportunity to keep their heads above water.

"Her husband has now lost his position and is back looking for work. She feels humiliated with the shame of what she has done.

"She accepts she is the author of her own misfortune."

Recorder Ian Peddie QC handed down a six-month prison sentence but suspended it for two years.

He told Clayton: "You must know how serious this offence is. You obviously feel rightly ashamed of what you were doing because it was a continuous period of dishonesty over many years.

"It is understandable how you became dependant on that benefit but what is not so understandable is how you continued to claim it for more than five years, and that makes the offence all the more serious.

"In my opinion it is so serious I am going to impose a sentence of imprisonment of six months, but I will suspend it for two years."

Clayton will also be supervised for 12 months.