A former student who fraudulently claimed more than �17,000 of benefits has been given a suspended jail sentence.
Marie Buyoya started off by legitimately claiming jobseekers' allowance and housing and council tax payments in May 2006.
She then enrolled on a three-year business studies course at Leicester's De Montfort University the following September and received thousands of pounds in student grants and loans, but failed to notify the authorities of a change in her circumstances.
Adrian Harris, prosecuting, said Buyoya (31) falsely signed 78 confirmations saying the information the authorities had was accurate. He said she failed to declare that during the three years of studying she received �9,600 in student grants and about �8,000 in student loans, which she received via a friend's bank account.
Mr Harris said the benefits overpayment totaled �17,815, although if she had been truthful she would have been entitled to council tax benefits of about �1,300.
Some of the money has been repaid.
Buyoya was caught out by cross-checking between Government agencies.
When questioned she said she thought the student income was "just for school stuff".
Mr Harris said: "She's intelligent and was on a business studies course and would have known what she was doing."
Buyoya, of Portmore Close, Beaumont Leys, Leicester, admitted three counts of benefit fraud, between 2006 and 2009.
She was given an 18-week jail term, suspended for a year, ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid work and placed on a curfew.
The court heard that in June 2006 she received a suspended term for her involvement in a credit card fraud, when she obtained �6,500 in goods and cash.
Sentencing, Recorder Geoffrey Solomons said she "richly deserved" to go to prison and her previous conviction was an aggravating feature, but he told her: "I'm prepared to take a risk with you and suspend the sentence."
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