Three people have been sentenced at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court for benefit fraud totalling more than £19,000 following investigations carried out by Huntingdonshire District Council.

Stuart Ginns, 65, of Serjeants Close, Ramsey, pleaded guilty to two charges of benefit fraud between May 2011 and March 2015. Ginns had claimed Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit and Council Tax Support at the Ramsey address since 2009, but failed to report at the appropriate time that his private pension had increased. Ginns, who was overpaid £6,331.61, received a six-week sentence suspended for 12 months. As well as having to repay the money he had claimed, he was ordered to pay the council’s costs of £500.

Samantha Curry, 28, of Headlands, Fenstanton pleaded guilty to one charge of benefit fraud, admitting that she had fraudulently claimed Housing Benefit of £2,844.15 between October 2013 and November 2014 after failing to declare the true level of her earnings. Curry was fined £200 as well as having to repay the money she had claimed, she was ordered to pay the council’s costs of £475.

Margaret Nesbitt, 61, of Field Close, Abbotsley, pleaded guilty to three charges of benefit fraud. Nesbitt admitted fraudulently claiming Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit and Council Tax Support totalling £10,590.93 between September 2011 and March 2015, as she had failed to report that her son had returned to live in the property and was in paid work. She received a 13-week prison sentence suspended for 24 months for the first and second offences, with eight weeks for the third offence to be served concurrently. Nesbitt will have to repay the money she has claimed and was ordered to pay the council’s costs of £450. All three defendants appeared at court on June 24.