A Penge woman avoided jail after defrauding the council out of more than £16,000.

Billie Ellen Holah, 47, of Kenilworth Road, pleaded guilty to falsely claiming £16,588 between May 2012 and April 2015 from Bromley Council and the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP). 

An investigation uncovered undeclared bank accountants with income over £70,000, and undeclared people living in her house paying rent.

She also had £15,400 in refund credits from high street stores with no evidence of purchases.

MORE TOP STORIES Holah was sentenced at Bexley Magistrates Court last Tuesday (June 16) to three months imprisonment suspended for two years.

She initially pleaded not guilty but changed her plea.

She will have to carry out 100 hours unpaid work within 12 months and pay £1,500 costs and a compensation order of £12,332.28.

Councillor Neil Reddin chairman of Bromley’s audit committee said: “We are committed to concluding all our cases marked for prosecution to ensure any cheats who commit fraud against Bromley Council will be brought to justice. Our public funds are only available to those in genuine need.”