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A lottery winner who scooped a £300,000 jackpot kept on claiming benefit payments despite no longer being entitled to them.

Lesley Thomas, 49, won the staggering amount last year but failed to tell the authorities.

Instead, she kept on claiming housing benefit and employment and support allowance, which ended up being in excess of £17,988.10, Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates’ Court heard.

Prosecutor Monique McKevitt said: “[Ms Thomas] received a sum of £300,000 as a lottery win from Camelot UK.

“Ms Thomas was interviewed on March 15 last year. She admitted that she had claimed the fraudulent funds. The payment has been paid back in full.”

(Image: Jonathan Myers)

Thomas pleaded guilty to failing to inform Merthyr Tydfil Council of her change of circumstances relating to the housing benefit she was receiving between April 2015 and November 2015.

She also pleaded guilty to failing to inform the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) about her change of circumstances between April 2015 and February 2018, which would have affected her entitlement to Employment and Support Allowance.

According to a probation report, Thomas was said to have shown “deep remorse for her actions”.

The court was also told Thomas, from Merthyr Tydfil, lives alone with no children or partner.

(Image: Media Wales)

She was said to have numerous health issues which require the ongoing support of carers on a daily basis, especially to help her carry out daily chores.

Kim Treloar, mitigating, said: “This case goes back some years now. She gave some money to her niece to assist her. She gave some money to her relatives.

“She suffered with depression, anxiety, and many physical issues. She has fully accepted that she’s done wrong.”

Bench chair Mary Morris said the magistrates “took a long time” to consider the sentence they would impose.

They handed Thomas a 26-week prison sentence suspended for 12 months.

She was also ordered to pay £200 in costs and was handed a 12-week tagged curfew.

Mrs Morris said: “[The offence] was over a long period of time and we did find that it was a deliberate act.”