A fraudster has been given a suspended prison sentence after cheating the taxpayer out of more than £9,000.

Soran Karimi received housing and council tax benefit while illegally subletting his Notting Hill housing association property.

He was given a five month prison sentence suspended for two years at Isleworth Crown Court on Friday (November 11).

The defendant, from Sirdar Road, had pleaded guilty on an earlier occasion to two fraud charges.

The court was told Kensington and Chelsea Council ’s fraud team visited Karimi at his Notting Hill address after receiving a tip-off.

The team’s officers found he was not living at the property but was instead renting it to tenants while also claiming housing and council tax benefit.

Records revealed that he had been paid £8,682.33 in housing benefit between 1 October 2012 and 14 March 2014. He had also received £538.36 in council tax benefit.

Karimi was interviewed under caution by Kensington and Chelsea Council officers but made no comment to any of the questions put to him.

Following an investigation he was charged with two counts of failing to disclose to the council that he had ceased to reside permanently at the property in Sirdar Road and had sublet the property to another tenant in breach of Section 3 of the Fraud Act 2006.

Karimi had entered his guilty on the day his trial was due to begin.

His defence lawyer argued his client was not funding a luxurious lifestyle, and was now working part-time and living with family and friends.

Judge Richard McGregor-Johnson said Karimi must complete 150 hours unpaid community work which must be completed within 12 months and pay back the swindled money.

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