A woman from Redruth has received a 12 month community order found guilty of council tax benefit fraud totalling £6,558.57.

Karla Denyer, 37, of Treliske Road, Redruth, pleaded not guilty at Truro Crown Court to nine counts of benefit fraud,.

Denyer stood trial on November 4 at Truro Crown Court to eight counts of dishonestly obtaining council tax benefit.

After a four day trial the jury found Mrs Denyer guilty of seven of the eight counts of dishonestly obtaining Council Tax Benefit.

After hearing the facts of the case and the decision of the jury, His Honour Judge Neligan commented that these were serious offences of dishonesty and that in 18 years of being a judge he had never come across anyone who had lied so consistently however, he took into account Mrs Denyer’s previous good character when sentencing her to a community order for 12 months.

The overpaid benefits are being recovered from Mrs Denyer by Cornwall Council separately.

Cornwall Council operates a confidential fraud hotline on freephone 0800 7316125.