Benefit fraud couple facing jail sentence

Two fraudsters face jail after admitting getting almost £20,000 in benefits over nearly four years after lying on application forms.

Shakila Begum and husband Abid Hussain admitted a string of charges.

West Bromwich Magistrates Court yesterday heard they were overpaid £19,404.54 by claiming on council tax and housing benefits that they were not related to the landlord of their then home in Montague Road. But investigations revealed the property belonged to Hussain's cousin, the court heard.

Miss Jackie Yeung, prosecuting on behalf of Sandwell Council, said that when the couple were interviewed in April both admitted that Hussain's cousin was the landlord.

Miss Yeung said that during his interview Hussain initially said that he could not give a reasonfor not declaring the relationship.

"Then he said he didn't declare it because he knew it might affect his benefit entitlement," she added.

Begum, aged 30, and Hussain, 35, both of Hales Crescent, Smethwick, appeared before the court yesterday where they admitted six offences of obtaining housing and council tax benefit by dishonestly making false declarations on the application forms between January 13, 2003 and April 5 2007.

Begum also faced a further two charges of the same offence on November 18 2003 and June 15 2006.

Mr Tariq Rashid, defending, said: "Both are remorseful. There has been no financial benefit here, it has gone to the landlord."

Mr Rashid said the couple had four children and Hussain worked as a taxi driver.

The hearing was adjourned until September 28 for pre-sentence reports.

Magistrate Mr Derek Percival said: "We are keeping all options open which obviously includes custody."

The couple were remanded on bail.

They were charged due to the fraud element of the offence by filling in the forms incorrectly.

They would not necessarily have been entitled to less benefit just because they were related to the landlord.