Whitchurch benefits cheat ran web store

A Shropshire woman earned thousands of pounds running a business on internet auction site eBay, while claiming income support and housing and council tax benefits, a court heard.

Karen Curran, of Edgeley Road, Whitchurch, falsely claimed £20,000 in benefits between August 2006 and March 2009 after setting up eBay shop Karen's Healing Hands For You, Shrewsbury Crown Court heard yesterday.

The 34-year-old admitted falsely claiming housing and council tax benefit and falsely claiming income support.

Judge Robert Trevor-Jones sentenced Curran to eight weeks in jail, suspended for 12 months, on both charges to run concurrently.

She was also given a four-month curfew order, to be at her home between 8pm and 7am each day and be electronically tagged.