Cheat: Melissa Whiting, 33, from Darlington, who used illegally claimed benefits as a 'financial security net' while enjoying foreign holidays and a lavish lifestyle . A mother-of-three who used illegally-claimed benefits as a 'financial safety net' while enjoying foreign holidays and lavish spending on her home was receiving thousands from her well-paid boyfriend, a court heard. Melissa Whiting told officials she lived alone with her three children and raked in income support, housing benefit and council tax relief, a court heard. But in reality, she was sharing her Darlington home with boyfriend Mark Briscoe - a former soldier working in private security in the Middle East. In one year, he was able to deposit £9,000 into his 33-year-old girlfriend's account - all the while claiming benefits, using them as a 'financial safety net'. It also enabled her to pay for family holidays to Majorca and Bulgaria, as well as a £1,000-plus sofa, fridge, washing machine, flooring and a Sky subscription. Her deception was discovered in 2013, although she initially denied being in a relationship with Mr Briscoe. However, her neighbours knew they were a couple, and Teesside Crown Court heard Mr Briscoe also had his car registered at the Darlington property, and his pension correspondence from the army went there. Eventually, Whiting admitted two charges of failing to notify a change in circumstances, and yesterday she was given a two-month suspended prison sentence. The judge, Recorder Martin Bethel, QC, described her dishonesty as 'blatant' and also ordered Whiting, of Chestnut Drive, to pay £400 costs. Penny Bottomley, mitigating, told the court that the fathers of Whiting's first two children 'contributed very little to their upbringing'. She added: 'Her explanation to the Probation Service for continuing to claim benefits is it was a financial safety net for her and her children. 'That's somewhat understandable given she had spent the past 11 years receiving very little money from their fathers. 'She accepts it was wrong.' Miss Bottomley told the judge that unemployed Whiting had struggled with a gambling addiction at one point, but that was 'now being managed'. The youngest of the defendant's three children - Mr Briscoe is the father - is three, and the others are aged seven and 11, the court was told. Prosecutor Nigel Soppitt said the allegation was she claimed more than £11,800 over 18 months, but the defence case is that it was £5,000 over nine months.
Melissa Whiting claimed she was a single mother in order to claim benefits .
But Whiting was actually in a relationship with former soldier Mark Briscoe .
The private security worker was depositing thousands into her account .
So mother-of-three used benefits as a 'safety net' while spending lavishly .
Defence say is 'understandable' due to lack of child support from fathers .
Cheat: Melissa Whiting, 33, from Darlington, who used illegally claimed benefits as a 'financial security net' while enjoying foreign holidays and a lavish lifestyle . A mother-of-three who used illegally-claimed benefits as a 'financial safety net' while enjoying foreign holidays and lavish spending on her home was receiving thousands from her well-paid boyfriend, a court heard. Melissa Whiting told officials she lived alone with her three children and raked in income support, housing benefit and council tax relief, a court heard. But in reality, she was sharing her Darlington home with boyfriend Mark Briscoe - a former soldier working in private security in the Middle East. In one year, he was able to deposit £9,000 into his 33-year-old girlfriend's account - all the while claiming benefits, using them as a 'financial safety net'. It also enabled her to pay for family holidays to Majorca and Bulgaria, as well as a £1,000-plus sofa, fridge, washing machine, flooring and a Sky subscription. Her deception was discovered in 2013, although she initially denied being in a relationship with Mr Briscoe. However, her neighbours knew they were a couple, and Teesside Crown Court heard Mr Briscoe also had his car registered at the Darlington property, and his pension correspondence from the army went there. Eventually, Whiting admitted two charges of failing to notify a change in circumstances, and yesterday she was given a two-month suspended prison sentence. The judge, Recorder Martin Bethel, QC, described her dishonesty as 'blatant' and also ordered Whiting, of Chestnut Drive, to pay £400 costs. Penny Bottomley, mitigating, told the court that the fathers of Whiting's first two children 'contributed very little to their upbringing'. She added: 'Her explanation to the Probation Service for continuing to claim benefits is it was a financial safety net for her and her children. 'That's somewhat understandable given she had spent the past 11 years receiving very little money from their fathers. 'She accepts it was wrong.' Miss Bottomley told the judge that unemployed Whiting had struggled with a gambling addiction at one point, but that was 'now being managed'. The youngest of the defendant's three children - Mr Briscoe is the father - is three, and the others are aged seven and 11, the court was told. Prosecutor Nigel Soppitt said the allegation was she claimed more than £11,800 over 18 months, but the defence case is that it was £5,000 over nine months.
used illegally claimed benefits as a 'financial security net' while enjoying foreign holidays and spending on her home was receiving thousands from heard. But in reality, she was sharing her Darlington home with boyfriend Mark Briscoe - a former soldier working in private security in the initially denied being in a relationship with Mr Service for continuing to claim benefits is it was a financial safety net for her and her