She was a respected housing benefits officer with Kirklees Council.
But behind the scenes, Claire Wickens was conspiring with her boyfriend to swindle the authority out of tens of thousands of pounds.
Now she has been given a suspended jail sentence while her partner has been jailed for fraud and for drugs crimes..
A court heard how 49-year-old Wickens filled in claim forms and false tenancy agreements which enabled Mark Anderson to fraudulently obtain housing and council tax benefits.
“At the time she was assisting Mr Anderson with the false tenancy agreements and false claims she knew of course from her position at Kirklees Council and her relationship with Mr Anderson that the claims and documents submitted were not genuine,” prosecutor Charlotte Eastwood told Bradford Crown Court.
The court heard that between them the defendants made claims in relation to three different properties in Holmfirth.
Anderson, 50, also made a fraudulent claim for employment support allowance and was said to have obtained just over £17,000 in benefits.
Wickens’ benefit was calculated to be just under £10,000.
Miss Eastwood also outlined details of two “sophisticated” cannabis farms which Anderson had set up at premises in Cinderhills Road and Arndale Grove.
After the landlord of the property in Cinderhills Road discovered the cannabis-growing operation in September 2013 police seized 61 plants which could have yielded more than £23,000 worth of the drug. Two months later police raided the property in Arndale Grove were two more bedrooms had been set up as a cannabis farm.
Miss Eastwood said 60 plants were seized on that occasion in November 2013 and the potential yield was again estimated to be about £23,000.
Anderson, now of Blackthorne Road, Leeds, was jailed for 30 months after he admitted the fraud allegations in relation to the benefits and producing cannabis.
Although he maintained that his now ex-partner Wickens had nothing to do with the cannabis plants she pleaded guilty to producing the Class B drug at the two properties on the basis that she was acting under the direction of her co-accused.
Wickens, now of Green Road, Penistone, also pleaded guilty to involvement in some of the benefit offences, and she was sentenced to a total of 20 months in jail suspended for two years.
She will also have to do 100 hours unpaid work for the community.
The court heard that Wickens had no previous convictions and she claimed that she had been manipulated by Anderson during their relationship.
Recorder Graham Cook said references submitted in support of Wickens were excellent and he was satisfied that Anderson had been the “principle mover” in the offending.
Anderson’s barrister Michael Cogan said he had started to grow the cannabis on impulse after watching a television documentary.
Anderson claimed he had been doing for his own satisfaction and the number of plants got out of control.
Mr Cogan said his client vehemently denied that he had coerced Wickens into committing any of the offences.
