A PREGNANT woman who lied on benefit forms has been spared an immediate prison sentence.

A PREGNANT woman who lied on benefit forms has been spared an immediate prison sentence.

Katherine Miller, 30, ticked a box on a form stating there was no relationship between her and her landlord when in fact her landlord was her father, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Miller, of Bristol Hill, Shotley admitted making a false representation to obtain benefit and was given a 16 week prison sentence suspended for one year and placed under supervision for one year. The case was brought by Babergh District Council.

Sentencing Miller, who is seven months pregnant with her second child, Judge Neil McKittrick said Miller may have been entitled to the money she had received in benefit if she had told the truth.

He said that by not telling the truth Miller had implied a formality of arrangement that had not existed.

Stephen Boyce, prosecuting said Miller had filled in an application form for housing benefit in 2000 stating she was paying her landlord Barrie Powell �325 per month for rented accommodation in Shotley Gate.

She had initially ticked a box indicating that there was a relationship between herself and her landlord but had then scribbled it out and ticked a box stating there wasn't any such relationship.

This had continued until 2007 and during that period Miller received �18,000 housing benefit and �260 council tax benefit.

Mr Boyce said Miller may well have been entitled to the benefit she claimed if she had told the truth.

Rachel Ellis for Miller said her client had no previous convictions and had an eight-year-old daughter and was seven months pregnant with her second child.

She said that Miller had not thought that the fact that her father was her landlord was relevant when she was filling in the form.