Shannon 'aunt' jailed for fraud

Hyett helped search for Shannon, who she referred to as her niece

A neighbour of abducted schoolgirl Shannon Matthews has been jailed for a year after admitting benefit fraud amounting to more than £35,000.

Amanda Hyett, 27, illegally claimed £35,885 in income support and housing benefit, Leeds Crown Court was told.

Hyett had been on bail since pleading guilty at a hearing in October.

Shannon, now 11, was kidnapped and imprisoned by her mother Karen and Hyett's uncle, Michael Donovan, in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, last year.

Hyett, of King Edward Street in Thornhill Lees, Dewsbury, is the sister of Karen Matthews' ex-partner, Craig Meehan, and referred to herself as the girl's aunt.

Living together

Hyett, a mother-of two, stood in the dock looking straight forward as the sentence was read out. She was told by Judge Peter Collier QC that she would have to serve at least six months of the 12-month term.

The court heard how Hyett had claimed benefits apparently legitimately from November 2002 when she told the Benefits Agency she had split from her partner, Neil Hyett.

This is a case of a single mother, who was intent on feeding her family rather than feeding some excessive lifestyle Garrett Byrne, defending

Craig Hassal, prosecuting, said the offending began in May 2004 when she married Mr Hyett, but she did not inform the authorities, or tell them that they were living together.

He added that Hyett "tried to go legit" in 2006 and stopped claiming benefits, but Mr Hyett later admitted they could not afford to give up the money and his wife began claiming again after three months.

She had been claiming benefits including income support, council tax benefit and housing benefit.

Garrett Byrne, defending, said: "This is not a case of a professional gang planning a sophisticated fraud, but one of a single mother, who was intent on feeding her family rather than feeding some excessive lifestyle."

Hyett is Michael Donovan's niece

At a hearing in October, Hyett admitted four counts of making a false statement or representation to obtain benefits, one count of retaining a wrongful credit and one count of failure to notify a change of circumstances.

A further charge of making a false statement was withdrawn after she pleaded not guilty.

Hyett was a prominent figure in the search for Shannon Matthews, who went missing in February 2008.

Twenty-four days passed before she was found being held at Donovan's flat in Batley Carr, West Yorkshire.

Her mother's trial was told she had hoped to claim reward money.

Hyett took part in candlelit vigils for the missing girl, gave television interviews and was a frequent visitor to the Matthews home next door to her own former property on Moorside Road, in Dewsbury Moor.

Matthews and Donovan were both jailed for eight years in January after being found guilty of kidnap, false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice.

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