AN illegal immigrant who claimed £5,000 in benefits by using a false document has walked free from court.

Faith Showers got a forged residency permit which allowed her to plunder thousands in taxpayers' money she wasn't entitled to.

But after hearing the 28-year-old Liberian has a young child and two jobs after being given temporary leave to remain in the UK a judge imposed a suspended sentence.

Kirsty Real, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court how Showers first came to the country in 2004 on a 'family visit' visa.

Though she left soon after she returned the following year and has remained here ever since making a series of failed applications to stay, she said.

"In early 2014 her social working was suspicious because of documents about benefits," she told the court.

"Social services were supporting her and her daughter because of a lack of benefits and a lack of leave to remain in the UK."

Applications for Job Seeker's Allowance were made to the Department for Work and Pensions and Housing Benefit from the council were made in early 2014, she said.

"In support of these claims she had supplied false immigration documents, something that contained her details said she had indefinite leave to remain and had a photograph of her."

As a result of her deception she told the court she got £1,897.29p in JSA and £3,313.03p in housing benefit making a total of £5,210.32p.

When she was questioned by investigators last year she insisted the paperwork was all correct and given to her as part of her asylum application.

She said that was not the case and her immigration status changed on May 8 this year when she was given discretionary leave to remain until 2017.

However after she has been sentenced for criminal offences Miss Real said the Secretary of State would consider her position.

Showers, of Carmel Walk, pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud and possessing an ID document with improper intent between December 2011 and February last year.

Paul Trotman, defending, said his client was currently doing two jobs and had a daughter who is at school.

Passing sentence Judge Tim Mousley QC said: "What makes this offence serious is the fact that you used an identity document, which you knew to be false.

"That is something that is so prevalent in the country at the moment that severe sentences are required to deter people getting involved in that type of criminal offending.

"You are a youngish woman with a daughter, you have no previous convictions and you have pleaded guilty."

He imposed an eight-month jail term suspended for two years and told her to do 200 hours of unpaid work for the community.