A 49-year-old woman today escaped an immediate prison sentence despite illegally claiming more than £12,000 in benefits while she was working.

During a hearing at Bradford Crown Court today it emerged that Denise Proctor had two previous convictions for benefits-related offences dating back to the early 1990s.

Recorder Bryan Cox said he would be fully justified in sending her to prison.

But after reading reports about Proctor's traumatic family background, Recorder Cox concluded that her case was an exceptional one and he could suspend a 12-month prison sentence for two years.

Proctor, of Beldon Road, Great Horton, Bradford, admitted failing to notify the Department of Work Pensions when she was employed between March 2004 and July 2005.

Prosecutor Diana Maudslay told the court that Proctor, who had been claiming income support since 1994, had been overpaid £12,498.57 in income support, housing benefit and council tax benefit after she failed to declare that she was working.

Her two previous convictions had resulted in an order to do 80 hours' unpaid work for the community and a conditional discharge.

Proctor's lawyer Abraham Venghese referred to his client problems with her drug addict son against whom she obtained an injunction.

He said Proctor had been paying back the overpayment at the rate of more than £50 a month.

Mr Venghese said Proctor had two other children who were grown-up and settled, but the third child had caused serious problems.

Recorder Cox said: 'It is an aggravating feature of your case that you have two previous convictions involving the inappropriate obtaining of beneifts,'' said Recorder Cox.

'I accept that you are remorseful and I take account of your positive, good character as revealed by the pre-sentence report and the references I've read about you.'' Proctor was made the subject of the suspended sentence supervision order, which means that, as well as having the 12-month prison term hanging over her for the next two years she will also be supervised for 12 months.