A BENEFITS fraudster who fleeced the DWP out of thousands of pounds more than five years ago and is still to be sentenced has repaid just a fraction of the stolen money, Greenock Sheriff Court has heard.

Louise McIntosh was originally charged with falsifying a benefits claim form to obtain 17 monthly payments totalling £24,155 between March 2017 and August 2018.

The case against the 37-year-old proceeded to a summary trial before Sheriff Sheena Fraser earlier this year before McIntosh failed to appear at a follow-up hearing - claiming she was 'locked in her own house' - and then her lawyer negotiated a plea deal with the Crown.

McIntosh was convicted of stealing £12,000 from the public purse after prosecutors accepted her guilty plea to the reduced sum - but she is yet to be punished for the offence.

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The Universal Credit cheat knowingly made a false statement or representation, on behalf of herself and her partner, declaring they had less than £6,000 in savings - when she actually had more than £42,000 in the bank.

Greenock Telegraph: Louise McIntoshLouise McIntosh (Image: Facebook)

Defence solicitor Amy Spencer told the latest calling of the case that McIntosh is 'fairly chaotic in her lifestyle', adding: "On the last occasion [Sheriff Fraser] was told that £73 had been repaid - the figure is now over £500.

"When one looks at the charge it is a drop in the ocean.

"That figure ought to be much higher than it is."

READ MORE: Greenock benefits fraudster could be repaying DWP until nearly pension age

The Telegraph previously reported that McIntosh could be repaying her ill-gotten gains until she is almost eligible for the state pension - after it was said that she had been making monthly payments of £36.87 to the DWP.

Sentence was further deferred until November 15 for an update from the DWP.