A woman who claimed benefits while hiding more than £200,000 narrowly avoided prison after a fraud investigation caught out her and her mother.

Tabassum Begum and her mum Bushra, aged 71, both claimed benefits while the pair had more than £260,000 hidden away.

They pleaded guilty to multiple fraud offences earlier in the year after hiding money in 100 different accounts between them.

Watford Borough Council has since recovered the money Tabassum Begum falsely claimed.

Today at Southwark Crown Court Tabassum Begum, 41, was given a two-year custodial sentence, suspended for two years, two years’ supervision and ordered to complete a women-specified activity.

Addressing Tabassum Begum, Judge Martin Griffith said: "This was a long period of fraud carried out by you and from what I have been told you knew that the writing was on the wall and carried on with that fraud.

"I do not consider you have shown remorse. You have shown fear that you would be locked up."

Tabassum Begum had 79 different accounts in a variety of names and had amassed £156,112.15 by May 30, 2011.

She was overpaid £34,537.74 in housing benefit and £10,875.91 in council tax benefit by Watford Borough Council.

Meanwhile, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) overpaid her £80,395.61 in income support.

She claimed these three benefits – gaining a total of £125,809.26 – between July 2003 and July 2012, despite having too much money to be entitled to them. Tabassum Begum moved from Whippendell Road to Chesham Way, where she currently lives, during that period.

Tabassum Begum pleaded guilty to three counts of theft and one count of fraud at St Albans Crown Court on Monday April 13. 2015.

Tabassum’s mother Bushra Begum, of Rose Gardens, Watford, had £62,416.43 in 21 different accounts by February 4, 2013.

Bushra Begum had been overpaid £6,602.10 in pension credit from the DWP from January 1, 2007 to February 24, 2013.

She was overpaid £27,568 in housing benefit from January 8, 2007 to March 25, 2013 and £8,496.06 in council tax benefit from January 8, 2007 to April 4, 2013. In total she claimed £42,666.16 in benefits that she was not entitled to, due to her concealing her true circumstances.

Bushra Begum pleaded guilty to four charges of dishonest representation for obtaining benefit at St Albans Crown Court on Monday April 27, 2015. In June, Bushra Begum received an 18-month custodial sentence, suspended for two years.

While passing sentence the judge said that if he saw Bushra Begum back in court for any reason, he would not hesitate to send her to prison.

Although Bushra Begum has not yet repaid the benefits she was overpaid, confiscation proceedings have now started to recover the monies in full. If need be, the council will begin further legal action against her.

Elected Mayor of Watford Dorothy Thornhill said: "This is great news for everybody. What makes this sentence even better is the news that we have now recovered all of the money that Tabassum Begum was overpaid in benefits.

"The Begums went to great lengths to hide their wealth, but working jointly with our partners we found them out. This result shows that benefit fraud is a serious crime with serious consequences for the people who commit it. We will do everything in our power to stop it."

To confidentially report someone who is committing benefit fraud in Watford, phone 0800 458 9200, email fraud@watford.gov.uk, or visit www.watford.gov.uk