Jean Paul Bokoko, 42, of Petch Close, Middlesbrough, and Chipo Dhliwayo, 36, of Albert Terrace, in the town, both admitted conspiracy to defraud.

Francoise Bolela, 35, of Romney Street, pleaded guilty to obtaining property by deception at Teesside Crown Court.

The fraudulent cheques had a value of �100,000 and around �37,000 was cashed in Teesside and North Yorkshire.

Amounts inflated

Bokoko, a former political prisoner in the Congo, was jailed for 30 months. Dhliwayo was given a nine-month jail sentence suspended for two years.

Bolela received a two-year conditional discharge.

Teesside Crown Court heard how thousands of benefit cheques stolen from the Essex area were altered and cashed at village post offices in places such as Redcar, Middlesbrough and Billingham.

The documents had a value of about �100,000. Amounts on the cheques had been inflated, and the post offices at which they could be cashed had also been changed.

Tshiamala Kadima, 34, of Charlton Crescent, Barking, Essex, was jailed for two years. Kapitene Debamba, 31, of Wedderburn Road, also in Barking, was given a six-month jail sentence suspended for two years.

Both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud. The offences took place between 13 September and 8 March last year.