A TAVISTOCK woman was last week given a six-month suspended jail sentence and a two-month home curfew, to be monitored by an electric tag, after being found guilty of benefit fraud.

Sara Stirling broke down in tears and shouted at the jury as their verdict was recorded, claiming they had reached the wrong decision following the three-day trial.

Plymouth Crown Court heard Mrs Stirling, 40, had claimed almost £10,000 in disability benefits while managing a college course and a boat-building business in Cornwall.

Mrs Stirling, who suffers from arthritis, had applied for a severe disablement allowance in 2000, although she was working with her husband in their boat-building company.

The court heard that in 2003 she also started working for Falmouth Marine School, managing a new boat-building course, but did not inform the Department for Work and Pensions until she applied for maternity benefit in 2007.

Mrs Stirling has since paid back the £9,939.65 she had claimed. She denied she had dishonestly failed to notify the department of a change in her circumstances, claiming she found the benefits system 'confusing' and 'degrading'.

Paul Bitmead, defending, said: 'This is a case of human frailty. Making a mistake does not make her dishonest — it makes her human.'

But prosecutor Jo Martin described the defendant as 'a determined and resourceful woman' and said she knew what she was doing when she claimed the benefits.

Judge Philip Wassall told the jury that although the sum of money involved was considerable and the case involved deliberate dishonesty, Mrs Stirling was of previous 'impeccable' character and had been under 'great pressure' financially.

He rebuked Mrs Stirling for her outburst against the jury and said he agreed with their verdict.

The curfew imposed runs between 6pm and midnight. A request for £1,000 prosecution costs was refused, as the defendant was unable to pay.