A Medway couple falsely claimed almost £37,000 in benefits, a court heard.

Judge Michael Lawson QC told mother-of-two Debra Swann and her partner Peter Gallagher, 47, they had “a price to pay” for their dishonesty.

“You have put yourself at risk of a custodial sentence,” he commented. “You have got to pay the money back and that is going to be very difficult and cause considerable difficulty over the next few years, or longer, and all for some temporary convenience.”

However, he added that he could suspend any jail term because of their guilty pleas. “This demonstrates that you regret very much what you have done.”

Swann, 47, of Mallard Way, Lower Stoke, admitted four offences of making a false representation to obtain benefit in January and August 2006, and two offences of failing to notify a change in circumstances between May 2004 and August 2006.

Gallagher, of the same address, admitted two charges of allowing a person to fail to give prompt notification of a change in circumstances between May 2004 and August 2006, and two of allowing a person to produce false documents in January and August 2006.

Each was given a 12 month prison sentence suspended for 12 months. Swann must also carry out 80 hours unpaid work and 20 hours employment and education training.

Medway Council’s Finance Portfolio Holder Cllr Alan Jarrett said: “The benefits system is there to give people financial help when they need it most. It is completely unacceptable for people to claim benefits they know they shouldn’t be receiving.