A WOMAN created seven bogus children, claiming to have had them all in just 18 months, as she falsely collected more than £40,000 in benefits.

Victoria Young, 25, gave the bogus babies names and dates of birth claiming to have had quads Kier, Kie, Kyla and Conrad on January 30, 2005.

These were followed by a fifth child, Kacey, a mere eight months later on September 21 and within a week of that - on September 27 - Kelsey was born.

She later rang the tax credit helpline asking for cash to help with child care and other costs to look after baby number seven - Jake - who she claimed had been born just 10 months later in July last year.

But when benefits investigators went looking for her huge family they found just one little boy at her home in Lancaster Road, Irlam - and he wasn't one of the seven children she said she had.

Young was arrested last December but investigators were unable to interview her formally until March this year because she was pregnant with her second child. Yesterday, she appeared at Manchester Crown Court, to plead guilty to 10 out of 11 benefit fraud charges relating to the imaginary children.

Fraudulently

A charge of fraudulently claiming benefits which did not relate to the children was ordered to lie on the file.

The court was told that Young had one previous conviction of theft from her employer.

Judge Roger Thomas QC warned her: "You have pleaded guilty to the vast majority of the charges against you, the next step is for sentence to be considered.

"There is a lot of overpayment on the face of it and it looks like a very deliberate deception to obtain tax credit."

The case was adjourned until December 5 to allow pre-sentence reports to be compiled before sentence.

Joanne Pennington, senior investigating officer for HM Revenue and Customs, said: "This case shows the defendant was dishonest in claiming tax credits and considering herself above the law.

"The vast majority of tax credit claimants are honest and claim only what they are entitled to. But those who think that they can beat the system and gain an advantage over everyone else without consideration or second thought should be worried.

"HMRC will seek them out with determination and perseverance and bring them to justice."

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