Charlotte TaylorMUM Charlotte Taylor says she intends to clear her name after she was convicted of housing benefit fraud.

A distraught Taylor, 29, of Haywards Place, Easterton, fears the conviction will lead to her losing her job as a consultant with Slimming World.

The mother-of-two pleaded guilty to claiming housing benefit that she was not entitled to but said she did so because she did not have legal representation and wants the case reopened.

Kennet District Council prosecuted Taylor last Thursday at Devizes Magistrates Court.

She was charged with failing to give prompt notification of change of circumstances between July 14 2003 and March 31 2004, contrary to section 112 of the Social Security and Administration Act 1992.

The court sentenced her to an 18- month conditional discharge and ordered her to pay £50 costs.

Kennet District Council said she claimed £3,000 worth of housing benefit by falsely declaring she was a single parent but was living with her husband, Shawn, who was working.

Taylor denies the claim and said she has witness statements from people saying that her husband was not living with her at the time.

She said she and her husband, 31, had separated but he is now back home with her.

Taylor said: "I received the notification of the prosecution from Kennet a week before the court date.

"I went to the Citizens' Advice Bureau for advice and they advised me there would be a duty solicitor at the court for me to see.

"But when I got to court there was no duty solicitor. I had my husband's father with me who was willing to be sworn into the witness box to say that Shawn had been living with him in Devizes during the time that Kennet alleged I was wrongly claiming the housing benefit.

"I spoke to a man at the court and was told unless I wanted to go for a long trial to plead guilty.

"I didn't have legal representation. I had never been to a court before so I didn't know what to do.

"I pleaded guilty, but looking back it was the wrong thing to do.

"I now intend to seek legal advice to see if I can get the case reopened and plead not guilty. I want to clear my name because I'm innocent."

Taylor added: "I have never been in trouble with the police and I would never ever consider benefit fraud.

"I feel absolutely terrible that

people will think I'm a benefit cheat."

The court was told that Taylor had started paying back the housing benefit she had claimed at a rate of £100 per month.

Taylor told the Gazette she was paying it back on the advice of Kennet although CAB had advised her to stop paying it.

Taylor was featured in the Gazette a year ago when she started work as a consultant for Slimming World.

She said her weight loss had inspired her to get to work and help other people to slim down.

She said she wanted her experience to be a springboard for others trying to lose weight.

She now runs her own class on Wednesday evenings at St Peter's School hall in Devizes.

She said her life had changed after she lost six stone in weight after joining a Slimming World class and that inspired her to become a consultant with the company.

She said: "My Slimming World class is very successful. I have a group of 50 people which I have built up from nothing. I am hoping to start another class elsewhere.

"The past year at Slimming World has been absolutely fantastic for me and this conviction could be the end of my career."

After the court case Andrew Hart, finance services manager at Kennet District Council, said: "The benefit team is pro-active in the continual fight against fraud.

"We have always said we will prosecute people who abuse the system and therefore deprive those who really need benefits.

"I hope that more and more people will let the authorities know of abuse and help protect the rights of people who really genuinely need help."