Mother jailed for benefit fraud

A single mother who illegally obtained £37,000 in benefit has been jailed for fraud.

Bobbi-Lynn Rickard-Smith, 34, of The Knoll, Brixworth, Northamptonshire, admitted eight charges of falsely claiming housing benefit and income support.

She also asked for 247 other similar offences to be considered.

Rickard-Smith was sent to prison for 12 months at Northampton Crown Court on Friday.

Judge Patrick Eccles told her: "You are an educated woman and you should have known what you were doing."