A WOMAN who claimed she could not work due to a knee problem pocketed �40,000 in benefit over nine years while working in a shop.
Susan Forman said she would "love to get back to work" on one form she sent to the Department for Work and Pensions after losing her job as a boss at Pizza Express.
Nottingham Crown Court heard she worked as a shop assistant in Aspley while receiving weekly Incapacity Benefit.
Her original claim was genuine because she had knee problems following surgery in 1997.
She should have told the department of any change in circumstances but lied about her condition from 2000, claiming she was still unable to work.
She first earned �32 a week at the shop but by 2008 was doing 38 hours and earning �200 gross.
The claims stopped in January 2009 when someone spotted she was paying National Insurance contributions.
The 44-year-old, from Denewood Crescent, Bilborough, was interviewed about the allegation in June 2009.
She was charged with cheating the public revenue out of �41,328.97 and admitted the offence.
Judge Michael Stokes QC said the case was deliberate fraud and gave her 12 months in prison, suspended for 18 months. She was also given a four-month curfew at her home that will be electronically monitored.
Judge Stokes added: "I regard this as deliberate dishonesty on your part and there is no other way of describing it.
"Were you not in the poor health that you are, you would have most certainly gone to prison."
He was told by the defence that Forman, who walked into court using a crutch, had genuine medical problems and was fragile.
Since being charged she has suffered depression and now gets Employment and Support Allowance.
She voluntarily trains dogs and has her own pedigree German Shepherd.
"There are lots of people in a far worse financial position who do not defraud the public so she could carry on with a hobby, if that's the word, that is very expensive," said the judge.
"You have to feed the dogs and take them to the vet."
A Department for Work and Pensions spokesperson said: "When people receive benefits they enter into a contract to tell us of any change in their circumstances. Deliberately not doing so is a crime and takes valuable funds from those who need them the most.
"At best they will have to repay us all the money they have taken, at worst they will end up a criminal and in the pages of a newspaper.
"Our proposed reforms to the benefits system will tackle the main causes of fraud and make it less open to abuse."
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