A Medway Council employee who tried to dodge paying council tax by making up false identities has appeared in court.

Edwina Wood, 52, of High Street, Chatham, made up three names and email addresses of people to try to dupe her own employers.

She, and partner Paul Roberts, 39, tried to make out they were no longer living in High Street and emailed the council on three occasions between 2010 and 2012 using false names to say that person was now responsible for council tax at the property.

Wood had worked at the council for more than 20 years as a benefit assessor and from 2012 had been giving members of the public advice on benefits and council tax.

The matter came to light in 2012 when an eagle-eyed officer who had previously supervised Wood saw a different name on the council tax bill for the address she lived in.

An elaborate web of lies and deceit was then uncovered as an investigation was immediately launched by the authority.

Colleagues also helped in the investigation and it was discovered Wood had told them she was married, lived in a big house in Maidstone, drove a 4x4 and even had a teenage son, none of which was true.

After a lengthy investigation where evidence was gathered, Wood was brought before a disciplinary panel in 2014 and dismissed with immediate effect for gross misconduct.

The council then pursued a criminal case which involved obtaining Wood’s telephone and internet communications.

At every point, Wood denied she had done anything wrong, claiming to know two of the people she had made-up and even alleging one of them to be her partner, to try and throw officers off the case.

Her partner Roberts claimed he had been living with his mother the whole time but this was never established.

The landlord of the property and neighbours confirmed Wood and Roberts had been living at the property for the whole time.

Wood and Roberts appeared before Maidstone Crown Court where they admitted dishonestly avoiding paying council tax by conspiring together to create fictitious identities for tenants said to have been residents at the High Street address.

Wood was told she owed the council £2,473 for unpaid council tax between 2010 and 2014.

The pair will be sentenced tomorrow (Thursday).

Cllr Andrew Mackness, the council’s head of corporate services, said: “Wood’s actions were made all the more despicable by the fact that she worked for the very authority she was trying to rip-off.

“We will always actively investigate fraud, including by employees, and will use every power available to protect public funds and punish those who knowingly obtain money, goods or services to which they are not entitled.

“In this case we always felt it appropriate to prosecute the matter because Edwina Wood abused her position of trust as a public servant.

“The message is very clear – no matter who you are we will investigate and prosecute.”