A couple who stole £60,000 in benefits escaped jail "by a hair's breadth" so they can look after their mentally ill daughter.

Richard and Jenifer Hollis of St Edward's Close, New Addington were spared hard time after Croydon Crown Court heard their eldest 12-year-old daughter has threatened suicide, self harm and hurt her siblings.

They were given 15 years, 2023 to pay off the debt.

12 months suspended sentence

The crooks were instead handed a 12-month suspended sentence, after pleading guilty to ten counts each of benefit fraud between April 2000 and March 2006. In all they defrauded the state of £58,976.35.

They swindled £42,061.07 income support, £13,769.39 housing benefit and £3,145.89 council tax. Mr Hollis had worked nine jobs and failed to notify the authorities.

'Mercy'

However in an act of mercy, Recorder Karl King, took into account their "exceptional" family circumstances. But that "the shame" and "public knowledge" of their crime would fall "squarely at your feet".

He said:

"Only a sentence of imprisonment could have met the seriousness of your offences. But I've stepped back from that because I've been told that your eldest child suffers from conditions which are serious."

Altogether they were sentenced each to a year-long suspended sentence for two years, 300 hours of unpaid work, and costs of £220 to the council and £100 to the Department of Work and Pensions.

Loan sharks

The couple claimed after taking out a loan of a few hundred pounds in 1998, a loan shark forged their signature on more debt documents, pushing them into a downward spiral.

Hollis, was visibly relieved when he left Croydon Crown Court.

Minister James Plaskitt, of the DWP however called it an "excellent example of our success."