Benefit fraudster to pay £30,000 under Proceeds of Crime Act

A Sunninghill man - who last year received two suspended jail sentences and 200 hours community service after claiming for housing benefit while renting out a property - has been ordered to pay £30,000 under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2006.

Nour Eddin Tantash, 33, of London Road, was given six months to pay up or face 15 months in jail when he appeared before Judge Ross at Reading Crown Court on Monday 7 October.

Mr Tantash received housing benefit overpayments of £11,535.97 between 14 May 2007 and 24 August 2009.

At Reading Crown Court on 18 August 2010 he had pleaded guilty to two offences contrary to Section 111A(1)(a) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992. At the same court on Wednesday 22 September 2010 he was sentenced to four months in jail suspended for 18 months for each offence and ordered to carry out 200 hours of community service.

At Monday's hearing, along with the £30,000 confiscation order, Mr Tanish was ordered to pay £8,600 costs. He has already repaid the £11,535.97 housing benefit overpayment to the Royal Borough.

The defence asked for more time to pay but Judge Ross was mindful that Mr Tantash had assets of £121,000 and was not prepared to give him longer than six months to comply with the confiscation order.

The £30,000 will be split 50:50 between the Treasury and the Royal Borough. A quarter of the council's £15,000 goes to the magistrates' courts to cover their expenses and the balance ploughed back into the benefit fraud budget.

Cllr Richard Kellaway, Cabinet Member for Finance, said: "We are pleased to see justice done. This was a premeditated scheme to defraud council taxpayers and hopefully the outcome will serve as a warning to anyone who is considering a similar course of action."

The council's confidential and free Beat the Cheat line for reporting suspected benefit fraud incidents is on 0500 353300.

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