Mum who lost 16 babies used the identity of her dead son to falsely claim £16,000 in benefits

A mum who lost 16 babies is facing jail after using one her dead children's identities to claim thousands in benefits.
Maria Pridmore suffered 14 miscarriages, a stillbirth and the death of her tiny son over 13 years.
Lincoln Crown Court heard that the 36-year-old - who finally gave birth successfully in 2012 - pocketed benefits for her newborn son Kia, who died aged just two weeks in December 2009.


She falsely pocketed £16,931 over three years after failing to tell the authorities of other changes in her circumstances.
This included other claims relating to a stillborn baby, and another child who was not living with Pridmore.

The mum admitted seven charges of benefit fraud between January 2001 and March 2013.
She also pleaded guilty to seven charges of fraud and two charges of theft between March 2013 and May 2015.

Recorder Paul Mann QC warned Pridmore she could face a substantial jail sentence when she is sentenced.
"It is stark choice," he said. "It is either exceptional circumstances or she is going to custody for a substantial period."
Pridmore's life spiraled out of control after she began taking heroin, the court heard.
She had also committed a string of other offences including three frauds against highly vulnerable victims.
She took money from a neighbour of 13 years, Sarah Spillane, the court was told.
The mum also withdrew £550 from an ATM machine after stealing a bank card and pin from dementia sufferer Angela Bird.
Chris Geeson, prosecuting, added: "This was a long and protracted fraud
 The highlight or perhaps the lowlight of the fraud was the fact this defendant claimed benefit for her child in 2009 who sadly passed away very soon after being born
"The claim just started legitimately for a very short period of time but then it continued.
"She was living with a man as her husband in 2012 so she was not entitled to housing benefit or council tax or income support which she received

"There were plenty of opportunities to tell the authorities of her change in circumstances."

Andrea Clarke, defending Pridmore, told the court that she had recently returned negative test results for drugs and had a new partner willing to provide her with a home.
She suffered her first miscarriage aged just 19.
Later in life she experienced the trauma of a further 13 miscarriages and a stillbirth.
Pridmore gave up hope when her premature son Kia died aged two weeks in 2009 but finally achieved her dream of becoming a mum with the unplanned "miracle" birth of her daughter in 2012.

Recorder Paul Mann QC adjourned sentence until July 29 for further investigations to be made in to Pridmore's personal circumstances.
The Recorder said: "The defendant has made assertions to the particular life she led to commit these offences.
"A mix of blaming her former partner for getting her on heroin, then being trapped by the drug and the need to feed his habit as well as hers, and also her medical history."

He added: "It is stark choice. It is either exceptional circumstances or she is going to custody for a substantial period."

Pridmore was granted bail to her new partner's address under an electronically monitored curfew but the Recorder warned her: "I make no promises, you could still go to prison for quite some time.