AN ALLOA pensioner, involved in a £7500 housing benefits fraud, has appeared in court.

The offender was 79-year-old Marjorie Mackay, of Munro Place.

She appeared at Alloa Sheriff Court having admitted that between November 14, 2016 and May 1, 2019 she made a false statement to officials of Clackmannanshire Council and obtained £7,544.30 in housing benefit to which she was not entitled.

Mackay said she was living alone at a house in Gean Road, Alloa. In fact, her daughter was living there and Mackay was living between Gean Road and Munro Place with her husband.

Defence solicitor Lewis Faulds said an arrangement had now been made with the council to start repayments.

Sheriff Neil Bowie said he had been under the impression that money was already being paid back for the past two years but was told that was not the case.

He deferred sentencing again until March 27 to see how much money had been paid back by that time.