The wife of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been charged with falsifying household expenses in order to have catered meals supplied to their official residence.

It is alleged Sara Netanyahu, along with a government employee, fraudulently obtained more than £86,600 for hundreds of meals supplied by restaurants, bypassing regulations prohibiting the practice if a cook is employed at the home.

She is alleged to have falsely stated there were no cooks available at the prime minister's official residence.

Sara Netanyahu's lawyers said the indictment was 'ludicrous', saying in a statement that others had ordered the meals and that the restrictions on ordering food in were invalid.

An Israeli prosecutor has charged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's wife Sara with fraud and breach of trust after a long probe into allegations she falsified household expenses

The statement said: 'There was no fraud or breach of trust or fraudulent receipt of items, or any other offence.

'The prime minister's wife, who is not a public servant, did not know the procedures and was found to have spoken truthfully when answering questions during a lie detector test.

The 59-year-old was charged with aggravated fraud and breach of trust, according to the indictment released by the Justice Ministry to the media.

From 2010 to 2013 Netanyahu, her family and guests received 'fraudulently from the state hundreds of prepared meals, each including a number of courses', the indictment read.

The prime minister, who himself is embroiled in a series of corruption investigations, has called the allegations against his wife absurd and unfounded.

Sara Netanyahu has inspired a multitude of headlines in the past over what family spokesmen call an undeserved reputation for imperiousness.

The scandal is, however, unlikely the latest case could cause significant political damage to her husband, who is riding high in opinion polls despite the allegations against him.

Last week Netanyahu, who is seeking a fourth term, was quizzed by police as part of a corruption probe that allegedly saw him receive favourable media coverage.

Benjamin and Sara Netanyahu pictured together in Milan. He has called the allegations against his wife absurd and unfounded

He was questioned over his alleged dealings with the country's largest telecommunication company in one of three corruption cases weighing on his political future.

The Prime Minister is alleged to have awarded regulatory favours to Bezeq Telecom Israel in return for favourable coverage on a news site the company's owner controls, Israel Radio reported.

Netanyahu, who has been questioned twice before in so-called Case 4000, and Bezeq have denied wrongdoing.

In February, police recommended Netanyahu be charged with bribery in two other cases.

Israel's attorney-general is still weighing whether to indict him.