A COUPLE who failed to tell benefit officers about the lodger in their home have appeared before a court charged with benefit fraud.

Jonathan Cripwell, prosecuting, told York magistrates that John and Kathleen Milner received £11,000 in housing benefit and council tax benefit over five years that they were not entitled to.

The court heard the lodger did not pay anything to the couple for board and lodging.

John Milner, 63, admitted ten charges of benefit fraud and Kathleen Milner, 64, admitted six. The offences were committed between 2000 and 2005.

The couple, who now live in Petersway, Clifton, were each given a three-year conditional discharge and ordered to pay a total between them of £500 prosecution costs.

Magistrates said they would normally order defendants who committed similar sized benefit frauds to do unpaid work, but the couple's serious health problems ruled this out.

Mr Cripwell said the couple currently received housing benefit and the council was reclaiming the money they obtained illegally by regular £11 deductions.

Victoria Latham, for the council, said it would try to up the repayments as it realised it could take them 18 years to repay it all at the current rate.

The couple had recently had a bankruptcy, which had included the repossession of their then home. They had no previous convictions.