A HUSBAND and wife who toured the country trying to claim benefits with counterfeit giro cheques, were jailed for two years after netting £103,000 from the scam.

Nicole Itonga and her husband Lokyo, who is suffering from a terminal illness, used the fake documents in post offices in Swindon, Oxford, Bristol and the North of England, Swindon Crown Court was told.

The couple who were born in Zaire, were caught after three other French-speaking Africans living in North London were arrested in Gorse Hill during the summer after trying to cash bogus giros at the post office.

Ian Halliday, prosecuting, said DSS investigators noticed the name Itonga when they were checking the fake giro cheques and became more suspicious when Lokyo offered to stand surety to get bail for one of them.

He said the couple were also in a car stopped on the M1 motorway by police in July, when it was discovered that Lokyo, who was on incapacity benefit and has Aids, had more than £800.

Investigators then arrested the couple who denied any involvement in wrongdoing but pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud before the court.

Mr Halliday said Nicole, 33, was involved in £4,500 worth of fraudulent claims relating to 13 cheques between May and July. Lokyo, 35, was involved in £2,900 worth of claims from nine cheques in April and May.

He said both had previous convictions for dishonesty and that Nicole was jailed for a year in 1999 for her part in trying to help an alien enter the country.

David Rawlings, defending Lokyo, said his client may not have longer than five years to live. Lokyo had contracted tuberculosis in 1998 which nearly killed him because of his immune system being lowered by the Aids virus. Recently his client had developed a drink problem as a result of his terminal illness.

Mark Dacey, speaking for Nicole, said his client was full of remorse and truly sorry for what she had done. "She is aware of the problem of benefit fraud. She may be looked on as someone who has abused her position in the United Kingdom, somewhere that has given her asylum," he said.