A COUPLE from South Oxhey who swindled Three Rivers District Council out of more than £10,000 were both given six-month jail sentences this week.

John Brown and his wife, Elizabeth, of Prestwick Road, pleaded guilty to ten offences of fraudulently obtaining housing and Council Tax benefit from the council at Watford Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

The couple originally denied the charges but changed their plea last month.

The court was told that between May 22, 1995 and October 26, 1998 the couple had received £10,790.48 in benefit, while failing to declare almost £46,000 Mr Brown, 53, had received in compensation for a work injury.

The couple also failed to declare more than £11,000 they received from the sale of a caravan and from the allocation of shares with the Halifax.

Earnings from periods of employment also went undisclosed.

The court heard the leasehold to a chalet purchased by Mrs Brown, 52, for £5,670 was not declared as an asset.

Prosecution counsel Mrs Dawn Pearson said: 'These offences have been committed because application forms did not give a true reflection of their situation.

'All that capital should have been declared, and it would have affected their benefit.'

Before sentencing, defence counsel Mr Denis Barry appealed for clemency from magistrates, saying the couple had already paid back £4,000 to the council and had made arrangements to pay the rest in due course.

He added the couple were of previous good character and were 'unlikely' to repeat the offence.

Mr Barry said: 'Mr Brown suffered an industrial injury, so when the first claim was made it was a legitimate one. It become dishonest as soon as he received a large sum of money for the injury.

'They really have learned their lesson. It's very unlikely they will commit this type of offence again.'

However, sentencing the couple, magistrate Mrs Gillian Hollander said the seriousness of the crime prompted a stiff response.

She said: 'We've given credit for your guilty plea that came before the trial, but the court has decided that the offences are so serious custody is the only way to deal with you.'

After the hearing, a council spokesman said: 'The council has a zero tolerance policy against benefit cheats.

'Our fraud team has again proved that nobody can escape detection forever.'