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Cllr Chris Naylor - “We will be taking further action to recover all the money.” |
Police officer in court for £7,000 fraud
Cost of ‘lavish’ wedding blamed
A POLICE Community Support Officer and his mother defrauded Camden Council out of thousands of pounds to fund his wedding in Bangladesh, a court has heard.
Faced with mounting pressures to meet the requirements of a “lavish” traditional Bangladeshi wedding, son and mother Tanvir, 26, and Taslima Mahmud, 48, sublet their council-run Fitzrovia home and claimed housing benefits to make extra money.
While Mr Mahmud lived in the two-bed Scala Street flat and collected just over £7,000 rent from up to three tenants at a time, Mrs Mahmud saved up nearly £5,000 council tax and housing benefits.
Mr Mahmud, who now faces dismissal from his post in the Westminster Police transport department, was ordered to pay compensation and costs amounting to £2,821 and Mrs Mahmud told to pay back all benefits plus compensation and costs of £2,730 after both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud Camden Council between March and September last year.
They were both sentenced to 200-hours community service.
Wood Green Crown Court heard on Friday how mother-of-two Mrs Mahmud had obtained the flat by claiming she was homeless but had moved back in with her estranged husband.
Prosecuting, Christopher Blake said the scheme was uncovered when “the owner, who leased the premises to Camden Council to use for homeless people, visited the premises and realised they were subletting”.
Jonathan Page, representing Mr Mahmud, said his client had needed the cash to pay for the venue, caterers and to fly three members of his family to Bangladesh, adding “Bangladeshi weddings are necessarily lavish events”.
He said: “Tanvir Mahmud was under some pressure to provide a wedding that was consistent with his religion.”
As a result of the offence, he said: “His in-laws and he are no longer in any form of communication less than one year in to his marriage. Although he’s suspended, he recognises the police disciplinary board will terminate his employment.”
Defending Mrs Mahmud, Sophie Shotton said: “The stress wasn’t just regarding finance but also the planning of the marriage, which meant she had to retain regular contact with her estranged husband.”
She said Mrs Mahmud and her husband were forced to present a “united front” to their son’s prospective in-laws because divorce was “frowned on” in their culture.
She added: “She’s really shamed by the proceedings, she’s a well-respected woman in the community and is under the care of her doctor for depression.”
Judge Peter Ader said: “You have brought shame on yourselves and your family and you will be punished for it. You’ve been very close to going to prison and should remember that.”
Councillor Chris Naylor, Camden Council's Executive Member for Housing, said:
“Camden Council will always take the strongest action possible against anyone found committing fraud of any kind.
“We will be taking further action to recover all the money.” |
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