Jail let-off for benefit con woman

A WALTHAM Forest woman has been sentenced to a two-year community rehabilitation order and ordered to pay the council £19,315 in compensation after fraudulently claiming housing benefit.

Chinyere Chlkwe, of Sanderstead Road, Leyton, pleaded guilty to four counts of false accounting between January 1998 and April 2001 when she appeared at Wood Green Crown Court on July 26,

The court heard that she claimed housing benefit by stating that she was a private tenant with rent liability and worked part time for low earnings.

In fact, she was working full time for Hackney Council and was receiving a considerably higher income than she declared.

She was also the owner of the property she claimed to be renting.

Judge Zucker QC told the court that by rights he would have imposed a custodial sentence were it not for Chlkwe's personal circumstances.

Cllr Keith Rayner, cabinet member for corporate services, said afterwards: "This was a very serious case in which the council was told a tissue of lies from start to finish.

"I hope this will serve as a warning to others who may try to defraud the council.

"We will not hesitate to prosecute whenever we find evidence of fraud of any kind."

13:43 Thursday 8th August 2002

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