AN ELDERLY woman who claimed her partner’s pension for almost a decade after his death has been spared a prison sentence by a judge who said she ‘lived in a dream’.

Janet Hill, of Tree Hamlets in Poole, failed to tell Aviva Insurance that partner Gerald Billington had died and instead claimed £83,824 between October 2006 and March 2016.

A court heard that she repeatedly forged his signature to access the money.

Simon Edwards, prosecuting at Bournemouth Crown Court, said Mr Billington died on October 22 2006.

“Payments should have ceased, but [Aviva] were not alerted that he was dead and during a 10-year period this defendant submitted a number of documents with forged signatures to obtain continued payment of the money,” he said.

Two years after Mr Billington died, Hill, now 78, changed his address from a property in Wolverhampton to her new home in Poole.

The pension was paid into a Lloyds Bank account solely in Mr Billington’s name. It was withdrawn in cash and cheques.

The deceit was only uncovered when Aviva received a letter from HMRC last year detailing the date of Mr Billington’s death.

Mitigating, Robert Grey said Hill initially turned to the pension pot as she had loaned her partner £10,000 to buy a car.

“Then she used the money for general living expenses,” he said.

Judge Brian Forster QC said: “She didn’t stop spending the money. There’s nothing really left.

“She’s been living in a dream.”

The court heard the extra money was a “comfort blanket” to the defendant, who lives an “isolated” life after both her second husband and then Mr Billington died of cancer.

Hill, who previously worked as a draughtswoman, admitted a single count of theft. She was previously of good character.

Sentencing the defendant to 10 months in prison, suspended for 18 months, Judge Forster said Hill had “lived a false existence”.

“You siphoned off money so you could use it by submitting forged documents,” he said.

Aviva is pursuing civil action against the defendant.