A wealthy couple falsely claimed £42,000 in benefits despite sending their children to a £32,000 private school and having nearly £50,000 in their bank account, a court was told  today. Sarah Grant, also received a £40,000 payment from her parents and was drawing income as a director of three companies during the time she and husband Leslie, 67, were claiming benefits, Gloucester Crown Court has heard. The couple sent their children to a £32,000-a-year school while also funding £2,000-a-month in rent on their home. But the pair are alleged to have falsely claimed a total of £42,500, consisting of £19,000 of pension benefit, £19,000 of housing benefit and £4,500 of council tax benefit to fund their lifestyle. On trial: Sarah and Leslie Grant are accused of claiming £42,000 of benefits while getting an income from several businesses and £50,000 in the bank, a court has heard . Mr and Mrs Grant say they were penniless as a number of businesses went bust and needed state support. This was received while Mrs Grant got money from her mum, there was income from the pair's businesses and business account were being used for personal expenditure, it was said. Prosecutors also say they had around £50,000 in the bank, but today a second forensic accountant told the court she felt that the Grants had no income entering their bank accounts. Mr Grant, 67, had been receiving pension credit since November 2007, despite running his wife's companies, Hadleigh Partnership, Hadleigh Development and Sarafino Ltd, prosecutors claim. Funds were used to sent their children to Dean Close School in Cheltenham, Glos., and to pay for expensive child care and high rent. Tara Wolfe, told the opening of the trial: 'We say Mr and Mrs Grant knew they were under an obligation to inform the Dept of Work and Pensions and the council of money coming into their accounts which affected their entitlement to benefits. 'The prosecution say they had income coming in from three sources. Between September 2010 and Oct 2011 Mrs Grant received £40,000 from her parents. 'There was also income from her position as a director of three limited companies that were trading during the material time and which Mr Grant was running. 'And they were using their business accounts for personal expenditure.' Investigations into their affairs began when questions were raised about how they were able to pay £1,950 a month rent with just £775 a month housing allowance. Mrs Grant was questioned by benefit officials in May 2010 and said that her parents had paid the rent shortfalls and school fees. Top private school: The Grants' children attended £32,000-a-year Dean Close School in Cheltenham while the couple was claiming benefits, the court heard . The couple, from Cheltenham, claim that the firms they were involved in at the time were in liquidation. On Wednesday a forensic accountant told the court that after analysing the pair's bank accounts it was clear they had more than £48,000 available to them. He explained that between them the pair had four bank accounts and his job was to analyse the accounts to decide what was 'personal' income and what related to the business. He told the jury that he assessed each payment made and even went through nine ring binders full of receipts to try and ascertain where cash had been spent. In his report he also asked: 'What is income? Luxury items such as school fees, extravagant holidays, expensive purchases, nice clothes, could all mean an income. 'If you're spending on these things there must be a source to do it. 'But they could also be the result of credit cards debts, or gifts. School fees for example, which were on their bank statements, imply an income, or it could just be the result of a gift.' The accountant, Neil Ward, concluded that the pair had a total of £48,206.59, which was assessable for pension credit. He told that £40,000 of that had come from Mrs Grant's mother. On trial: Speaking at Gloucester Crown Court (above), prosecutor Tara Wolfe told the court the couple had claimed a total of about £42,500 to which they were not entitled . The defence argued that it therefore counted as a gift, but when prosecutor, Tara Wolfe, asked the witness: 'would a gift of £40,000 be eligible for pension credit?' he responded: 'I believe so'. Mr and Mrs Grant both deny falsely claiming pension credits and housing and council tax benefit without declaring they had other income. But defence witness Helen Gregory- a forensic accountant - said the couple were clearly struggling with money as a number of their businesses went under. She explained how Sarafinos Ltd, a coffee shop opened in Folkestone and Birmingham, was hoped to become a chain but it collapsed shortly after opening. Instead the pair opened a restaurant called The Courtyard in Cheltenham. The couple also opened D'Altos, a company aimed at running fast food outlets which ran for just two months. The couple's building companies, Hadleigh Partnership and Hadleigh Development also went into liquidation. Mrs Gregory also argued that the £40,000 given to Sarah Grant by her mother was clearly a loan and did not count as income. She said: 'They were struggling. They were doing their best to make things work. They had a number of businesses and they had become accustomed to a certain lifestyle. 'Their businesses went under but they were trying to maintain that level of living. 'It took them about a year to try and get back on their feet financially. 'I don't believe they were receiving any income. I understood the money to be a short term loan from Mrs Grant's mother to get her back on her feet.' The trial continues. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
Sarah and Leslie Grant are on trial for alleged £42,000 benefit fraud . Couple accused of claiming handouts while paying school fees . Mrs Grant said to be director at three firms while getting housing benefits . During same period she received £40,000 from her parents, court heard . Mr Grant accused of claiming pension credit while running two companies . Prosecution say they had £50,000 in bank but defence say they were broke .