A young woman who lost her father to cancer as a child and who wanted to qualify as a MacMillan nurse has admitted a benefits fraud.

But magistrates agreed with defending solicitor Alun Williams that a conditional discharge would be appropriate so as not to ruin her career plans.

Bethan Lynda Jones, 24, a mother of three of Afoneitha Road in Penycae, Wrexham, admitted that while claiming benefits she failed to tell Wrexham County Borough Council and the Department of Work and Pensions that she was working as a carer at Pendine Park.

North East Wales Magistrates' Court at Mold, was told by prosecutor Rhian Jackson that the defendant had been overpaid a total of £5,376 in income support and housing benefit.

She had no previous convictions and had already paid about half of the overpayment back.

Mr Williams said that the offences started three years ago when she was quite young and ended in 2017.

Something which happened a long time ago was coming back to bite her.

She had voluntarily repaid £2,600.

The defendant lost her dad to cancer when she was young and her ambition was to become a McMillan nurse.

At the time of the offences she had given birth to her second child and was in a difficult relationship.

She was now in a stable relationship.

The defendant might lose her job over what had happened.

But it was her case that she had tried to inform the authorities of her job on line.

It had been difficult and she accepted that she had not done so.

He said that any conviction would be on her record for five years - unless she was given a conditional discharge when it would remain on her record for the length of the discharge. That would enable her to continue with her career plans as soon as possible.

Magistrates agreed and placed her on a 12 month conditional discharge with £85 costs and a £20 surcharge.

The remainder of the overpayment would be claimed back.

They said she was to be applauded for repaying money voluntarily.

The magistrates said that Mr Williams had "done a good job" and they had decided to depart from their sentencing guidelines and give her a conditional discharge.

She had made a mistake when she was 20 and the offending had ceased two years ago.

The defendant was now in a loving relationship and life was moving on.

Her ambition was to be a nurse after losing her father and magistrates said that there was no reason why a court should ever see her again.