Two benefit fraudsters were forced to repay £46,972.21 which was fraudulently claimed from Enfield Council for housing and council tax benefit over a period of 16 years.
Collette Richmond, 41, and Nicolas Nicola, 47, of Enfield, EN3 were both sentenced on the 6 February at Wood Green Crown Court. Richmond, who pleaded guilty to a charge of making a false statement was sentenced to 20 months imprisonment suspended for two years and a £100 victim surcharge.
Nicola, an employee of Her Majesty’s Prison Service, who pleaded guilty to a charge of aiding and abetting Richmond to dishonestly represent her circumstances was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment suspended for two years.
Enfield Council’s Counter Fraud Team commenced an investigation after receiving information concerning Miss Richmond alleging that she was living together with her landlord Mr Nicolas Nicola as husband and wife.
A check showed that Richmond had claimed housing and council tax benefit from Enfield Council since 1998.
During 2007 Richmond, who was still using the surname McHugh, told Enfield Council that she had changed address to The Sunny Road, Enfield, and needed help with paying her rent and wanted to continue applying for housing. On the change of address claim form that she completed Richmond named her landlord as Mr Nicolas Nicola of Linden Gardens, Enfield and declared that her children were not related to him in any way as the landlord or the agent for the property.
After making enquiries with Land Registry, it was found that the property at The Sunny Road, Enfield had been purchased back in October 2007 by Mr Nicolas Nicola. He had also purchased and owned the Linden Gardens property until August 2012.
Investigators obtained birth certificates from the General Register Office for Richmond’s children and found that both certificates named Nicolas Nicola of Enfield as the father of the children.
It became apparent to investigators that in 2007 that Nicola had purchased The Sunny Road property. Richmond then moved into the house and within three days of doing so she had changed the surname of her two children to hide the fact that she was linked to Nicola in order to continue to claim and receive housing benefit.
Had Enfield Council been aware Richmond was living in a property, which was owned by Nicola the father of her children, it would not have paid her a penny.
Investigators interviewed Richmond under caution in February 2012, where she claimed she did not know that Nicola was the landlord of The Sunny Road
In September 2012 Nicola was interviewed under caution; he claimed not to be the father of Richmond’s two children. He went on to explain that his name was on the birth certificates because he felt sorry for Richmond and it was better than having father unknown being recorded on them.
Enfield Council decided to prosecute both Richmond and Nicola as they had jointly defrauded the Council of £46,972.21 between 29 October 2007 and 31 March 2012. The debt has since been paid back in full. The judge also ordered Nicola to pay £13,750 directly to Enfield Council for prosecution costs. He had to do this within 7 days.
Cllr Andrew Stafford, Enfield Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance said “This was an extremely successful case where thanks to our dogged determination to pursue this dastardly duo we managed to recoup all of the money stolen from the public purse.
“People must understand that changing your name, and lying about relationships will not work with authorities who are intent on catching benefit fraudsters. Lying will see you in court and if in Enfield will see us pursing for every penny owed.”
