A rogue Islington restauranteur prepared meals in filthy mice-infested conditions while secretly swindling the council during a 12-year £40,000 benefit scam.
Anwar Hussain, 41, deliberately kept his ownership of the restaurant and flat above - which he rented out - a secret while claiming housing benefit on his council property.
Blackfriars Crown Court heard Hussain, his wife and four children continue to enjoy their taxpayer-subsidised social housing in Northampton Park, Canonbury despite being over £8,000 in rent arrears.
He no longer runs India Garden in Brecknock Road, Holloway and is currently a part-time waiter claiming working tax credits and child tax credits and claimed Legal Aid for the court proceedings.
Hussain pleaded guilty to five counts of dishonestly making a false statement to obtain Housing Benefit between March, 2005 and February, 2017.
He also admitted four food safety and hygiene summonses brought by Islington Council against him and duplicated against his company Promex Trading Ltd.
Hussain lied to the council he owned no property and kept secret the rent he received from tenants above the restaurant, who themselves were claiming housing benefit.
The restaurant was inspected without warning on March 14, last year and the council’s Environmental Health team found poor standards of cleanliness and evidence of mice infestation.
A pest control contractor solved the mice problem, but a second visit revealed no improvement in overall cleanliness and Hussain blamed his staff, claiming he had spent £15,000 on the business.
The court heard he was previously prosecuted for similar offences at the restaurant and is now subject to a Hygiene Prohibition Order, banning him from managing a retail food outlet.
Following that earlier prosecution Hussain dissolved his company and Islington Council are objecting to Promex Trading Ltd. to be dissolved while assets are chased.
His lawyer Ms Natalya Segrave told the court: “He has expressed remorse for his actions and admits that he is wrong.
“He was having financial difficulties and that benefit fraud was used to keep the business afloat and the family solvent.”
Recorder Karim Khalil QC told Hussain: “You are serially dishonest in your financial dealings at a personal and corporate level.
“This is a litany of dishonesty. You have failed hopelessly to give any realistic account of your money.”
Hussain received two years imprisonment, suspended for two years and was ordered to complete 200 hours community service and twenty days of rehab.
Promex Trading Ltd. was fined a total of £8,000 even though Recorder Khalil conceded: “There may be no funds within the company,” and ordered Hussain to pay £6,000 costs.
Islington Council will pursue compensation under Proceeds of Crime Act legislation.
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