A married Suffolk woman who obtained hundreds of pounds of benefits she was not entitled to by claiming she was a single mother has been given a conditional discharge.

At the time Carly Garner was claiming income support and housing and council tax benefit, her husband was living in military accommodation and was visiting her and paying her “significant” sums to help with their two young children and rent, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Garner, 36, of Yeoman Crescent, Hadleigh, admitted making a false representation to obtain income support from the Department of Work and Pensions and housing and council tax benefit from Babergh District Council in September 2012.

She was given a conditional discharge for 18 months and ordered to pay £300 costs.

Matthew Sorel-Cameron, prosecuting, said Garner made her claim for income support by phone and for housing and council tax benefit electronically and stated she was a single mother and the sole rent payer.

He said Garner had claimed £1,156 income support, £2,796 housing benefit and £439 council tax benefit.

Caroline Allison, for Garner, said her client had no previous convictions and was paying back the overpaid benefit on a monthly basis.

She said Garner had separated from her husband in September 2010 when she moved to Suffolk but admitted she had still received support from him.

“This is a lady who has had difficult times,” said Miss Allison.