A ‘hard-working’ mother of two was over paid nearly £5,000 in local authority benefits after failing to read a letter properly, a court has heard.

Melissa Clare Robinson, aged 31, of Stable Drive, Hereford, appeared before Aberystwyth magistrates on Wednesday.

She pleaded guilty to failing to notify Ceredigion County Council of a change in circumstances which would affect her entitlement to housing and council tax benefits, between December 3, 2012 and June 16, 2014.

The court heard that Robinson was self employed and ran her own business, but failed to declare when she ceased trading and became employed by a local company.

An investigation found she had been over paid £4,568.15 in housing benefit and £441.28 in council tax benefit.

Iestyn Davies, defending, said his client was previously of entirely clean character, and said there had not been an act of dishonesty but ‘inadvertance’.

He added: “She was in receipt of tax credits and notified them of changes by telephone. She received a letter from the local authority and assumed that the information had been passed on to the other departments. That’s the mischief.

“She didn’t read the letter properly.”

Mr Davies said Robinson had made a full and frank admission, and was already paying the money back.

He added: “She is not someone who would normally trouble the courts or the police, and works hard for her family.”

Robinson was given a two year conditional discharge and ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £15 victim surcharge.