Pensioner denies benefit charge

A Peebles pensioner has been accused of receiving more than £27,000 in benefits she was not entitled to.

Caroline Johnston, 66, of Biggiesknowe, denies receiving £24,584 without declaring an annuity.

That offence is said to have happened between September 2009 and September 2015.

She also denies receiving council tax benefit of £2,447 over a four-year period.

A trial date has been fixed for February 1 at Selkirk Sheriff Court, with an intermediate hearing on January 3.