A benefit cheat from Carterton who fraudulently claimed £42,000 has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Karen Barber, 35, of Richens Drive, pleaded guilty at Oxford Crown Court today (February 26), for claiming housing, council tax and income support benefit she wasn’t entitled to between November 2005 and January 2009.

Barber was given an 18-month suspended prison sentence with a community order to undertake 80 hours of unpaid work within the next 12 months.

She was prosecuted by...

A man who stabbed a woman out walking her dog to death has been told he will spend a minimum of 20 years in prison.

Robert Cusworth, 25, from Levings Close, Aylesbury, was sentenced to life in prison at Reading Crown Court today for the murder of Sally Garwood on July 11 last year. Cusworth had previously admitted murdering Mrs Garwood, who worked at the Autism Resource Base at the Lord Williams's School, in Thame, at a previous hearing.

The court heard that Cusworth (pictured) stabbed Mrs...

A rogue trader who drove a pensioner to a bank so she could withdraw £1,400 to pay him for work that he had not done has been given a suspended sentence at Oxford Magistrates’ Court.

Steven Davies, 26, was also ordered to pay his 86-year-old victim compensation when he appeared in court today (Friday, January 29) after being found guilty of two offences under the 2006 Fraud Act by false representation, and three offences under the Business Names Act 1985 for failing to disclose his proper...