A Norwich care assistant who used five different identities to fraudulently pocket more than £51,000 in tax has been spared jail.

Anastasia Liubiieva, 32, made 59 different Self Assessment making repayment claims totalling £51,466 tax as a result of travel and subsistence expenses.

Liubiieva, of Horning Close, Norwich, filed the tax returns over a number of years, using five different identities to try and hide her fraud.

But the offences were discovered following an investigation by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

Her home was searched as part of the investigation and officers found login details for HMRC accounts and online banking details in the names of Liuviieva and her aliases.

HMRC also approached Liubiieva's employers, who confirmed the expenses claims made in the tax returns were false.

Liubiieva pleaded guilty to five counts of fraud.

She appeared at Norwich Crown Court on Thursday (January 18) where she was sentenced to 16 months in jail suspended for 12 months.

She was also made the subject of a 12 month supervision order.

Speaking after the case, an HMRC spokesman said: 'Liubiieva took deliberate action to deceive HMRC and claim thousands of pounds that she was not entitled to.

'She did not think that HMRC officers would notice her crime, but she was wrong.

'She stole from the public purse to line her own pockets with funds needed by our public services.

'Tax fraud is a serious crime and I ask anyone with information about those who may be involved to contact our Fraud Hotline on 0800 788 887.'