A SOLDIER and his wife cheated the Army out of £10,000 by claiming private school fees for their son when he was actually in free state education, a court has heard.

Christopher Hodges, 32, and his wife Kelly, 32, had put both their children into a boarding school in the New Forest but their son did not settle there and they removed him.

But they did not stop them claiming the 90 percent allowance made by the Ministry of Defence towards the fees at Moyles Court School, said prosecutor Mary Harley at Gloucester crown court.

Kelly Hodges, of Twin Cottages, Ampney St Mary, near Cirencester, pleaded guilty to charges of making a false invoice from Moyles Court School between Dec 31, 2010 and Feb 1, 2011, as well as using a false invoice with intent to induce the MoD to accept it as genuine.

She also admitted falsely representing to the MoD that she was entitled to claim education continuity allowance of £4,833 for her son.

Christopher Hodges, 32, of Park View, Stafford, admitted one charge of fraud by pursuing a false claim for £4,833 on Feb 21 last year.

Judge Jamie Tabor QC sentenced them each to do 250 hours of unpaid work and said their actions had been 'very dishonest'.

Christopher Hodges had previously been a private in 29 Royal Logistics Corps based at South Cerney and his wife was a care worker.

In August 2010 the couple received permission to send their children to the Hampshire boarding school with total fees of £11,025.

The army agreed to pay 90 percent of the fees and £9,922.50 was paid into Private Hodges' bank account.

But it was never used to pay the school as their son had become unsettled and was removed from the school on October 13.

On October 19, Hodges left for a six-month tour of Afghanistan and his wife took control of his bank account.

Following reminders from the school about non-payments Mrs Hodges paid £4,800 towards the first term fees.

But she then submitted an application for fees for both children for the following term, even though their son had left the school.

The army asked for copies of the invoices from the school to cover her claim and she produced false ones by copying the invoices from the first term and amending the dates, prosecutor Mary Harley said.

"The army realised they were false and reported it to the Military Police," she added.

And when Pte Hodges returned from Afghanistan in February he chased up the payments for the Spring term.

Ms Harley added: "They were then both subjected to investigation and Mrs Hodges frankly admitted what she had done. Private Hodges at that stage denied any involvement and blamed his wife."

The total amount illegally obtained was £10,025 which Hodges, who has now left the army, has said he will repay.

Dermot Clarke, for Mrs Hodges, said she had committed the fraud because the couple had mounting debt problems.

"She is remorseful and regrets it," Mr Clarke said.

Jason Coulter represented Mr Hodges and said he had been discharged from the army after 11 years service as a result of the offence and was now working in a warehouse.