THE former partner of murdered Stephen Price will be sentenced for a £20,000 benefit fraud spanning three years in April.

Jane Grant (pictured), from Great Western Close, Paignton pleaded guilty to failing to notify the Department for Work and Pensions that she was working at the Marine Hotel in Paignton as a chamber maid and working behind the bar while claiming incapacity benefit between May 2004 and October 2007.

She also admitted two offences of failing to notify Torbay Council about her work in connection with her housing benefit between May 2004 and May 2007 and her council tax claims between May 2004 and November 2007.

But District Judge Farmer blasted the government department for leaving the whole prosecution 'hanging over Grant's head' after DWP prosecutor Philip White explained Miss Grant had admitted the offences in interview in November 2007.

He said: "It is bad enough that someone should have obtained £20,000 when they shouldn't have done. It is even worse that they have had this hanging over their head since 2007. It should have been dealt with.

"I think this is totally out of order. Nobody should be waiting from November 2007 until March 2010 to go before the court and this isn't the first time I have experienced this from the department.

"I will ask that, if it is necessary, someone comes and explains what has happened in this prosecution."

Mr White explained that there had been a delay in deciding to prosecute.

"A decision came through in August 2008 and a decision on housing benefit and council tax didn't come through until December 2008," added Mr White, who said the total amount claimed by Grant was £20,567.44.

Mitigating, Richard Porritt asked for her sentencing to be adjourned and said his client had 'stuck her head in the sand'.

He added that she had recently been a 'key witness' in a long trial at Exeter Crown Court 'about the death of a man whose body was never found', and that she was undergoing counselling to 'get over her experience'.

He also added she was experiencing difficulties in her current relationship and that any money she earned was going straight to the Child Support Agency.

"It is a complete mix of problems that she faces," explained Mr Porritt as he requested an adjournment for a pre-sentence report to be prepared by the probation service.

Granting the adjournment until April 8, Mr Farmer said the overpayments made to Grant by the DWP and Torbay Council because she failed to declare her income were 'substantial' and that the money had 'come out of the pockets of everyone who works in this area'.

Stephen Price, 47, was murdered by Andrew Lawless on May 2, 2008 after a row over Lawless parking his van outside his flat at Great Western Close.

Lawless was jailed for 18 years following a five-week murder trial at Exeter Crown Court which finished at the end of February.