A WOMAN accused of cheating the benefits system has been cleared by a jury.

It had been alleged that Deborah Cooke was overpaid £12,000 by Colchester Council.

The 44-year-old, of Straight Road, Colchester, denied two offences of failing to tell the council promptly that she had been living with a partner for three years from November 2003.

The jury returned not guilty verdicts on both counts after two- and-a-half hours’ deliberation at Chelmsford Crown Court yesterday.

The prosecution had claimed she was overpaid by £10,440 in housing benefit and £1,619 in council tax benefit.

The jury heard Deborah Seeney, as she then was, married Thomas Cooke on September 15, 2006.

It was also claimed he was living with her for three years before the marriage.

Mrs Cooke said she allowed Thomas Cooke to use her address as a postal address.

She also maintained that he did not live with her until August 2006, when she was unwell and needed help arranging the wedding.

She told the council about the marriage, which only lasted a short time before it was dissolved, in October 2006.

The court heard someone tipped off the council anonymously after she married Mr Cooke.