A CWMBRAN couple made more than £16,000 in benefits after fraudulently claiming for years.

Geoffrey and Gaynor Walding claimed council tax and housing benefits after failing to declare Geoffrey, 48, received a work pension.

The couple were sentenced to a 12-month community order and ordered to pay £50 costs at Newport magistrates.

Mrs Walding, 64, earlier pleaded guilty to five counts of making false representations to obtain social security benefit and her husband pleaded guilty to six counts of the same charge.

The fraudulent claims from Gaynor spanned between January 2000 and December 2003.

Mr Walding's claims ran from January 2000 to December 2007.

The case was brought by Torfaen council after suspicions were raised in January this year.

While their housing benefit review was being processed, evidence of a bank account was found which had not been declared on previous forms.

A letter was written to the couple, of Aran Court, Thornhill, asking for information about the account, prompting a call from Mrs Walding requesting to withdraw the claim, saying she did not want to disclose the information.

An investigation revealed Geoffrey had been receiving an occupational pension of £412.10 a month from TRW pensions since 1992.

The court heard how at its peak, the account contained £4,507.99.

Defending the couple, Huw Williams, said: "There is remorse in relation to both parties, the way they've conducted themselves is wrong and they know they must be punished."

Magistrates heard Geoffrey filled in the claims form and Gaynor signed it without reading.

In total, the couple received £16,571.97, £13,457.50 in housing benefits and £3,114.47 in council tax benefit.