An illegal immigrant who flagrantly defrauded taxpayers out of more than £60,000 has been jailed for two years.

It is the longest conviction secured against a benefits cheat by Sutton Council and comes after a lengthy investigation and court case.

Kenneth Scott-Emuakpor, 48, of Clowser Close in Sutton, came to the UK illegally in the 90s and falsely assumed the identity of Baron Sadigben to obtain a passport in 1996.

He was informed he had no legal right to stay in the country and served with a deportation order in 1998 but did not leave the country.

Instead, he changed his name from is false identity of Baron Sadigben to his real name of Kenneth Scott-Emuakpor by deed poll and managed to renew his passport in that name.

He started claiming housing benefit in 2005 and claimed a total of £60,090 until May last year when his scam was uncovered.

Suspicions arose in April 2013 when he contacted Sutton council to tell them his wife and children had moved to the UK from Nigeria to join him.

He sent his passport to the Home Office as part of the application for his wife to come move here.

It was then that the authorities realised what had happened and he was arrested in May 2013.

Scott-Emuakpor denied seven charges of benefit fraud but was found guilty by a jury at Croydon Crown Court last month and was sentenced to two years in jail.

He will also have to pay back the benefits he fraudulently claimed.

Councillor Jayne McCoy, chairman of Sutton Council's housing committee, said: "Benefit fraud and deception is unfair to residents who are honest and it will not be tolerated by Sutton Council.

"This is the longest sentence that we have ever secured and we will always push for the maximum punishment against those who defraud taxpayers.

"Mr Scott-Emuakpor flagrantly defrauded the council, and we are pleased that he has been ordered to repay the huge sums that he stole."


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