A BENEFIT cheat who defrauded £40,000 has been ordered to pay back the money she stole.

Yvonne Martin, of Besson Street, New Cross, began claiming income support, housing benefit and council tax benefits in 2007, claiming she only had £200 in her savings account.

But a tip-off from a member of the public said the 46-year-old had undeclared money in several different accounts and had also received a compensation payout of £100,000 in 2006.

Investigators from Lewisham Council and the Department for Work and Pensions found Miss Martin had £98,000 in undeclared capital in numerous accounts.

She had received £4,972 in income support and £38,000 in housing and council tax benefits.

Miss Martin pleaded guilty at Woolwich Crown Court to three counts of obtaining benefits fraudulently.

On February 7 she was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment for each offence, suspended for two years, and ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work.

She was also told to pay back all the money she had fraudulently claimed.