A husband and wife who swindled nearly £24,000 in benefits have been given suspended jail terms at Bristol Crown Court.

Tracey Eddolls told Bristol City Council her husband Anthony had left their Withywood council house.

But in reality he was a frequent visitor who supported her and their three children, the court was told.

Tracey Eddolls, 36, of Sherrin Way, pleaded guilty to falsely claiming £23,987 between December 2000 and July 2007.

Anthony Eddolls, 40, now of St John's Court, Keynsham, pleaded guilty to dishonestly allowing the claims.

Judge Michael Longman told them: "Offences such as yours is cheating. It cheats the finances of taxpayers and it cheats the finances of welfare claimants."

The judge sentenced the pair to 40 weeks' prison, suspended for two years. He ordered Anthony Eddolls to carry out 240 hours of unpaid work and Tracey Eddolls 150 hours of unpaid work, both to be completed in a year.

Alan Fuller, prosecuting, told the court that from December 2000 Mrs Eddolls declared she was a single parent, working part-time for Tesco and made no reference to her husband being at home.

Mr Fuller said: "In November 2005, Tracey Eddolls was visited by a benefits officer and she maintained it was just her and her children there.

"In June 2007, the benefit fraud team began an investigation into whether Mr Eddolls was living at Sherrin Way. They gathered significant evidence that he was living there for some time and had been contributing to household expenses throughout."

When the council interviewed Mrs Eddolls in June 2007 she said she saw her husband every day but they weren't living together, Mr Fuller said. She said she and her husband had been separated for 15 years but hadn't divorced and she thought they could solve their problems.

Mr Fuller said: "She denied he spent a single night there in 15 years. She accepted that Sky and BT bills were in his name, his car was registered at her address, most of his post went there and he took her shopping."

Mrs Eddolls also conceded she'd been on holiday with her husband but they'd had separate rooms.

The court heard that, subsequently, she contacted the council and said she'd been confused in interview, admitting her husband had slept the odd night at her home and had helped with childcare.

Investigations revealed Mr Eddolls' personal finances were linked to Sherrin Way, said Mr Fuller, but Mr Eddolls declined to comment when interviewed.

Though some £4,500 in falsely claimed council tax had been paid back, just £1,200 had been paid towards £19,500 of falsely claimed housing benefit. Arrangements are in place to repay the sum.

Virginia Cornwall, defending Mrs Eddolls, said her client wasn't "full and frank" with the council because she'd been scared.

Miss Cornwall said the couple had experienced instability in their marriage and Mr Eddolls would come and go as he pleased.

She stressed money claimed was put towards living expenses but there was no high life and only the odd family holiday.

She said: "Mrs Eddolls is deeply ashamed and deeply regrets it."

Jo Atherton, defending Mr Eddolls, told the court the couple had split up, Mrs Eddolls made a legitimate claim and then they decided to try again. She said: "When he returned, the money took pressure off the relationship."

Miss Atherton added her client would like to resume family life with his wife at their Bristol home and the proceedings had had a salutary effect on him.