A neighbour who played a major role in the search for abducted schoolgirl Shannon Matthews has appeared in court charged with benefit fraud of more than £43,000.
Amanda Hyett, the sister of Shannon's mother Karen's ex-partner Craig Meehan, faced Dewsbury Magistrates' Court charged with seven counts of benefit fraud.
Hyett, 26, of Moorside Road, Dewsbury Moor, West Yorkshire, was granted unconditional bail until the case resumes on September 9.
She is accused of failing to declare she was living with her husband, Neil, when claiming benefits and keeping money wrongfully paid into her account. Joanne Wharton, prosecuting, told the court the claims involved in the charges totalled £43,050.79.
The court heard Hyett is charged with six counts of making false statements or representation to obtain benefits, including social security, income support, housing benefits and/or council tax benefits, between September 2003 and August 2006.
Hyett is accused of failing to declare she was living with Mr Hyett and failing to promptly notify the Department of Work and Pensions of a change in her circumstances that would affect her entitlement to income support. She is also charged with retaining a wrongful credit of £5,181.52 into a Post Office account between 31 July 2006 and 14 April 2008.
Hyett, wearing a grey and black striped cardigan, attended court with her husband. She spoke only to confirm her name, address and date of birth during the brief hearing.
The case was adjourned until September 9 when Hyett will appear at the same court for a case management hearing. She was granted unconditional bail.
Hyett became a well-known figure after she became involved in the hunt for Shannon, who sparked a huge search operation when she disappeared in February last year. She took part in candlelit vigils for the missing girl, gave television interviews and was a frequent visitor to the Matthews' home next-door to her own.
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Shannon, then aged nine, was missing for 24 days before she was found in the base of a bed in the home of Hyett and Meehan's uncle, Michael Donovan. Her mother and Donovan were convicted last year of kidnap, false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice. They were both jailed for eight years for conspiring to keep Shannon drugged and imprisoned at Donovan's home in a desperate plan to claim £50,000 in reward money.
