A COUPLE who fraudulently claimed more than £135,000 in benefits - saying they were too ill to cook their own meals - were caught running a cafe on Bury Market, a court heard.

Caroline Banks and Karl Bradsell, who both worked at Riscatti's Cafe, had been claiming the benefits for more than five years before they were found out by undercover investigators.

Banks, aged 43, had her home adapted with a stairlift and a wet room, after claiming that she was unable to walk without a walking stick, also claiming she used a wheelchair to get around.

She said she was unable to get up to go to the toilet, and needed someone to cut up her food.

Her list of illnesses included angina, depression and a prolapsed disk, but she was caught on CCTV working at the cafe, spending long periods on her feet preparing and serving food in the busy cafe.

Investigators also caught her wearing three or four-inch high heeled shoes, despite her medical complaints.

Bolton Crown Court heard that Banks had fraudulently claimed £62,848 in disability living allowance, employment support and housing benefit, amongst others.

Banks burst into tears when she was told she would be jailed for 16 months.

Bradsell, who began a relationship with Banks in 2006, rented a council house next door to her home, in Chaffinch Drive, Bury.

However, in reality the pair lived together in her specially adapted home, while Bradsell, who fraudulently claimed £73,975, sub let the three-bed semi to his brother.

He claimed that he had not worked since 2005, and that he suffered from epilepsy and depression.

The 43-year-old said he always needed to have someone with him, because he regularly suffered from panic attacks and claimed to suffer from fits two or three times a week.

However, Bradsell was also caught working at the cafe cooking and preparing food, despite previously saying that he only used a microwave to cook his food, because he was scared to use a cooker in case he would injure himself due to his epilepsy.

In addition, Bradsell drove Banks’ car to deliver takeaways for the Lotus Garden Chinese takeaway, in Chesham Fold Road.

Bradsell, who sat with his head bowed in the dock, was jailed for 19 months.

Addressing the pair, Judge Elliot Knopf said: “You put your heads together and agreed to consciously, deliberately and persistently defraud the system.”

The court heard that both Banks and Bradsell are now paying the money back.

Defending Banks, Stuart Duke said that her initial benefits claims, in 2002, had been legitimate, but that it had spiralled into dishonesty and deceit.

He said: “Ironically, since these offences come to light, both her physical and mental health has deteriorated.

“Since these offences she has fallen into abject poverty - she is unable to walk.”

Banks, who is still entitled to benefits because of her ill health, will pay the money back through deductions from her benefits.

Defending Bradsell, Michael Lea said that he had gained work in helping older people in the community, and that he was paying back about £140 a week from his wages.

Afterwards, Cllr Sandra Walmsley, Bury Council's cabinet member for resource and regulation, said: “This was a deliberate and breathtaking act of fraud, carried out over a long time and involving huge sums of money.

“Thanks to the determined efforts of our investigators, Bradsell and Banks have finally been brought to justice.”