A fraudster with 17 aliases pretended his wife and children died in the Grenfell Tower fire to net himself £12,500 from charities and Kensington and Chelsea Council, a court heard.

Anh Nhu Nguyen, 52, was photographed next to Prince Charles when the royal visited survivors of the North Kensington tower block fire but is actually a resident of Bromley, south east London.

Nguyen pleaded guilty at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday (November 2) to two counts of fraud by false representation and one count of making an untrue statement for the purpose of obtaining a passport.

His pretence as one of the victims of the June 14 fire lasted for two weeks, during which time he was given a total of £12,500 by charities and Kensington and Chelsea Council .

The British Citizen, of Beckenham Road in Bromley, was born in Vietnam but has been in this country since the 1980s. He has racked up 28 previous convictions for 56 offences spanning more than 30 years, including theft, dishonest offences, arson and grievous bodily harm, the court heard.

The conman had told a Press Association reporter his name was Anh Tuan Nguyen and that he had fled from the 15th floor of the tower block with his wife and 12-year-old son.

Anh Nhu Nguyen

He went on to tell the reporter in his broken English of the ordeal, claiming he had to hold a wet towel in front of his face by the time he reached the eighth floor as the smoke had become so thick, and separated from his family.

Nguyen spent two nights at the Westway Sports Centre with just a sheet but was later given a hotel room, clothing, food, electrical items and money after posing as one of the survivors.

Anh Nhu Nguyen, second from the left, shook hands with Prince Charles when the royal visited Westway Sports Centre where survivors were temporarily housed

He was only discovered after giving several different flat numbers, most of which did not exist and one which belonged to an actual victim, who was questioned by police in connection with the fraud, causing "significant distress" to the family.

Judge Philip Bartle said at a previous hearing that there was a "contemptible element" to the fraud.

He added: "The background to this case is one which has received national, if not international, news coverage. Because on June 14 a fire broke out in Grenfell Tower and a very large number of people died in that fire.

"It has received enormous coverage, there is an inquiry and the ramifications for those people who are genuinely affected by this awful tragedy are very considerable indeed.

A huge fire engulfed Grenfell Tower shorty after midnight on June 14

"This defendant has engaged in what the court can only describe as, if he pleads guilty, a despicable offence - namely claiming that he and his family lived in Grenfell Tower and that his wife and son died in it.

"As a result of which he received goods or money to the value of £12,500.

"Money which would otherwise have gone to the people who were genuinely affected by this appalling tragedy."

He continued: "This defendant succeeded in achieving money out of the misery and tragedy of people who, unlike this defendant if he pleads guilty, genuinely suffered by this terrible fire."

Prosecutor Jonathan Polnay previously said: "This defendant attended Westway Sports Centre, which was set up to assist those who have lost property and family.

Grenfell Tower in west London

"This defendant attended on June 18, gave his name, date of birth and said he lived at flat 17.

"He said he lost his wife, child and all his worldly possessions - he was given £100 cash and signed for it on that basis.

"He attended the following day and was given £260, then given accommodation at Holiday Inn Express, the current bill just under £2,000.

"On 21 June he applied for £5,000 and gave his address as flat 18 Grenfell Tower, but there is no flat 17 or 18.

"He then gave another address of another flat, there are other people who live in that flat who have confirmed that.

"Police officers were assigned because he was treated as a victim and when questioned in detail this fraud unravelled."

Nguyen showed no emotion as he entered his pleas through a translator and will be sentenced at the court on December 15.

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