A council officer and her daughter have escaped a jail sentence after being convicted of a benefits fraud.

Benefits visiting officer Isobel Hart helped her daughter Tracey Braun make a false application to Swale Council.

Maidstone Crown Court heard 47-year-old Hart had since lost her job and her family was facing bankruptcy.

A judge told the mother and daughter, both of Range Road, Eastchurch, it was their good fortune the department did not lose any money.

"I am satisfied the offences committed were unique to the personal circumstances in which you found yourself," Judge Philip Statman told Hart.

She had allowed a false application for housing benefit to be made. She was suspended in August last year, a day after Braun, 24, submitted a claim for a property her mother was renting.

Investigators found the tenancy had been invented to take advantage of the system.

Both women denied fraud but were convicted by a jury last month.

Andrew Keogh, for Hart, said the mother reached the point last year where she had to sell the house which was the subject of the benefit claim.

It was sold for £187,000 because of a desperate debt situation, said Mr Keogh. There was still a £15,000 debt.

"The consequences in terms of her affairs is as bad as bad can be," he said. "The offences were not motivated by greed. It is perverse, it is irresponsible and dishonest but the consequence is a dreadful financial mess."

Judge Statman said it was clear Hart "knew well fine" about the way the benefits system worked because of her position.

Braun was given a community order with 18 months supervision. Hart was also given a community order with six months supervision and will have to complete 180 hours unpaid work.