A FARINGDON benefit cheat has been sentenced to eight months in jail.

Rachel Wilce pleaded guilty to three counts of benefit fraud at Didcot Magistrates' Court in April but magistrates felt their sentencing powers were insufficient.

The case was transferred to Oxford Crown Court, which heard that Wilce had previously worked as a benefit fraud investigator at West Oxfordshire District Council.

Wilce, 33, of Landsdown Road, received overpayments of more than £19,000 for income support, housing and council tax benefit between April 2003 and May 2005.

She was caught out by Vale of White Horse District Council fraud officers, who alerted the Department For Work And Pensions.

Checks on a database spotted that she had failed to declare she was living with a partner, who worked as a full-time police officer.

Coun Mary de Vere, the council's cabinet member for benefit services, said: "This tough sentence sends a powerful message about how seriously benefit fraud is taken.

"Here we have someone who had previously investigated benefit fraud who is now in jail for what she did."