Another woman claims for 11 children

"A SHAMELESS mum aged 28 claimed £17,000 in a benefits fraud - by pretending she had 11 KIDS", reports The Sun.

Lisa Watson invented names and birthdays for the fake children, ranging from one to 13 years old - including some said to be born just days apart.

Mum-of-two Watson, of Alness, Easter Ross, had just one child at the time of her year-long scam - but bizarrely did NOT claim cash for the real youngster.

Yesterday Sheriff David Sutherland branded it "one of the worst frauds I have come across in the benefit system".

He warned Watson at Tain Sheriff Court that she faces jail if the cash is not repaid.

He said: "It is quite appalling how one can claim to have this number of children when they don't. It was something you did knowingly."

Watson last year admitted making the false claims for £16,787 in working tax credits and child tax credits from July 2006 to May 2007.

Sentencing had been deferred for reports on how much money she had managed to repay.

Sheriff Sutherland was yesterday stunned to learn more than half the cash had been paid back - including £2,000 from a win betting on HORSES.

Watson's lawyer Diane McFarlane produced bank statements proving her client had been repaying at least £40 a week, topping it up with more funds when possiblee. She explained that £2,000 was repaid in the last month alone. Sheriff Sutherland inspected the bank statements, and queried a £2,500 transaction involving bookmakers Ladbrokes.

Miss McFarlane said: "Her partner occasionally bets on horses and was successful to get £2,500, of which £2,000 was paid toward the tax credit."

She added: "She has paid back more than half the sum that has been overpaid. She is making great efforts to deal with this."

Watson had also admitted claiming she worked at Manpower from November 2006 to January 2007, after her employment had ended in May 2006.

Sheriff Sutherland yesterday deferred sentence again until December, to allow Watson to prove she can keep up repayments of £50 a week.

He added: "I intend to have this money repaid in full. If repayments are not maintained it is inevitable that a lengthy custodial sentence will be imposed."