Grasping Kathleen Rice ‘deliberately and consistently’ lied on multiple claim forms over an eight-year-period to rake in the cash.

The fraudster told officials that she was ‘not maintaining a common household’ with the father of her two daughters — who lived with her.

She went on expensive foreign holidays with partner Alexander Brown and their children, the eldest of whom is now 29 years of age.

Rice, 51, of Grieve Road, also indulged in twice-weekly gambling sessions at a Greenock bingo hall, the town’s sheriff court was told.

Prosecutor Pamela Brady said: “We are all too aware that the benefits system is struggling — all the more so because of people like Kathleen Rice.” Alexander Brown — described by Rice’s lawyer Charles Drummond as a ‘parasite’ — treated himself to football season tickets for himself, a daughter and granddaughter, as well trips away to Champions League matches, the court heard.

Fiscal depute Mrs Brady said: “Many would love such a lifestyle but can’t afford it.

“They were partners for many years, have two daughters and were maintaining a common household.

“The relationship is in something of the region of 30 years.” Mrs Brady said it was ‘nonsense’ for Rice to suggest that she recieved no financial support from Brown — who was in full-time employment.

She added: “Kathleen Rice repeatedly stated that she lived alone with her two daughters and no other adult.

“She repeatedly declared that there was no change in her circumstances, all while Alexander Brown was there, driving a mobility car, working and going on family holidays.

“All of the evidence clearly proves her guilt.

“She selfishly cheated the benefits system over many years.” Rice — who has a disabled daughter — fraudulently claimed £57,816 from the Department for Work and Pensions between 5 September 2005 and 5 March 2013.

She further lied to Inverclyde Council to illegally claim £20,430 in housing and council tax benefits between 5 December 2005 and 31 March 2013.

The total amount she fleeced from the public purse stands at £78,246.

Lawyer Mr Drummond said there was ‘no evidence’ that Rice’s partner Brown paid towards living, heating and lighting costs.

Mr Drummond said: “If it were a crime to take advantage of someone for your own parisitic self convenience, Alexander Brown would be in the dock and not Kathleen Rice.

“He didn’t give a stuff about her — that was his evidence.

“He was a lodger who contributed nothing, not a crumb to meet any financial obligations that can be directly proved.

“This is not a common household by any stretch of the imagination.” But the court heard earlier that Brown shared the cost of a joint home contents insurance policy with Rice.

Prosecutor Mrs Brady said: “This is important and clearly links her to him. It is a very crucial aspect of the evidence.” Brown claimed in court that he lived separately from Rice under the one roof, and slept in his own bedroom. But a jury of seven men and eight women took just 45 minutes to decide that he and the benefits cheat were co-habiting.

The panel found Rice guilty by majority verdict on both fraud charges.

Sheriff Iain Fleming deferred sentence on her until 9 September for reports.