A mother-of-three who lied about being homeless and falsely claimed £75,000 of housing and council tax benefits has been spared jail.

Jamila Walters was placed in a four-bedroom house in Beechwood Drive, Woodford Green in November 2005 after approaching Waltham Forest Council.

But the 42-year-old went on to purchase a three-bedroom property in Billet Road, Walthamstow the following year, which she advertised online for rent.

After applying to purchase her council home under the Right to Buy scheme, she was refused when officers spotted inconsistencies in the information she provided.

Between 2005 and 2016 Ms Walters fraudulently claimed £74,037 in housing benefit, and an additional £1,800 in council tax benefit.

She was found guilty of 10 counts of benefit fraud and one charge of obtaining property by deception after a jury at Snaresbrook Crown Court took less than an hour to deliberate.

On Friday, August 31, she was sentenced to 18 months in prison on each count, to run concurrently and suspended for two years.

The judge made it very clear that the only reason she had escaped an immediate custodial sentence was because she has three young children.

Cllr Louise Mitchell, Waltham Forest Council cabinet member for housing, said: “Jamila Walters carried out a sustained fraud over several years which deprived a family in genuine need of a roof over their head.

“She also falsely claimed thousands of pounds in benefits, while at the same time collecting the rent from the property she owned.

“It’s not often we see cases of benefit fraud on this scale. However, we will always push for the maximum penalties for anyone convicted of such staggering deception.

“The benefit system is intended to help those who through no fault of their own need assistance while they get back on their feet. It is not intended to subsidise those who do not wish to abide by the rules that everyone else must.”

Waltham Forest Council has begun eviction proceedings against the family.