AN anonymous tip-off led to the conviction of a couple from Maple Cross, who swindled Three Rivers District Council out of almost £20,000.

Julie and Trevor Lee, of Oakhill Close, were sentenced to eight months in prison at St Albans Crown Court on Monday for fraudulently obtaining housing and Council Tax benefit during a two-year period.

The conviction followed a two-month investigation by council officers last year, following the tip-off.

Officers secretly observed the couple, with their children, going to and from the house in May and June last year.

They were also followed to Luton Airport - where the family boarded a plane for Gran Canaria - as officers gathered evidence to show the couple could enjoy such an expense.

On their return, the couple were interviewed about their claims until they had enough evidence to prosecute.

On Monday, Mrs Lee pleaded guilty to three counts of falsifying documents to obtain housing benefit, and three of dishonestly obtaining Council Tax benefit amounting to £12,221.13, between January 1997 and July 1999.

Mr Lee pleaded guilty to two counts of the same charges between January 1998 and July 1999, amounting to £7,467.92.

The couple pleaded not guilty to similar offences allegedly committed between September 1995 and January 1997, for which the prosecution offered no evidence.

The court heard Mrs Lee had been receiving benefits for the rented property since July 1993 on the basis she was living alone with her children to support.

However, she failed to declare her marriage to Mr Lee in September 1995 and continued to claim she lived alone when renewing her claims from 1997.

The court was told Mr Lee had supported the renewals and not mentioned he was employed full-time at Martin Baker Aircraft Company in Lower Road, Denham.

Prosecution counsel Mrs Dee Connolly said: 'If the district council had known this, that they were married and that Mr Lee was working full-time, they would not have paid out the money.'

Defence counsel Mr Morris Aston, alongside Mr Mark Wyatt, said the pair now realised their guilt but argued they had a 'fiery' relationship which often resulted in Mr Lee not permanently living in the house.

Mr Aston said arrangements had been made to begin paying back the money to the council.

Despite defence pleas for a lenient sentence, recorder Mr Madge said the seriousness of the offences warranted a custodial term.

He said: 'I have to take into account the amount of money obtained. I know the family enjoyed a two-week holiday and were in reasonably paid employment. For these reasons, I'm satisfied these offences are so serious only a custodial sentence can be passed.

'People who make fraudulent claims must expect a prison sentence.'

This week's conviction is the second successful fraud case brought by the council this year and reiterates its crackdown on benefit fraud.

Leader of the council Ann Shaw said: 'These people deliberately cheated the district council - and that means they cheated local residents and their neighbours - out of £19,000.

'The sentences handed out by the court send out a loud and clear message this sort of thing will not be tolerated.'