A BARLEY Road benefits cheat has narrowly avoided jail after defrauding authorities of more than £10,000.

Sarah Williams admitted to dishonestly claiming housing benefit from Test Valley Borough Council and employment support allowance from the Department of Work and Pensions totalling £10,829.08 between August 2014 and April 2015 when she appeared in Basingstoke Magistrates' Court last week.

The 42-year-old was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, due to the "relatively sophisticated offending and planning to disperse money across family" suggesting greater dishonesty.

Williams was also given a curfew requirement to remain at her Barley Road property between 7pm and 7am and ordered to pay an £80 victim surcharge.