A WOMAN has been prosecuted after pleading guilty to fraud and winning more than £300,000 in benefits.

Eniah Nhika, 42, was sentenced to 21 months custody, suspended for two years, 200 hours of unpaid work and a six month home curfew after pleading guilty to nine offences of using a false identity to commit fraud.

She was sentenced at Basildon Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

In 2008 Miss Nhika, a Zimbabwean national, applied for Housing Benefit through Thurrock Council using false identification which showed she was a British Citizen.

Benefits were paid until a report was received to the council showing that Miss Nhika, who entered the UK in 1991 and was only entitled to stay until 1994, had failed in her efforts to gain leave to remain and was not entitled to public funds.

Officers from Thurrock Council’s Fraud Investigation Service continued in their investigations and discovered that she had also claimed several benefits from other authorities, which included buying an ex-council property under the ‘Right to Buy’ scheme using false identity documents.

In December 2013, Thurrock Council Investigators in conjunction with Essex Police raided Miss Nhika’s home address where she was arrested.

A search of the property resulted in several items being seized including two UK driving licences, a photocopy of a Zimbabwean passport in the name of Miss Eniah Nhika and old employment applications showing false information.

Sean Clark, Head of Corporate Finance, said: “The significant value of this case highlights the excellent detective work done by Thurrock Council’s Fraud Investigation Service.”

“We will not tolerate abuse of the benefits system and will not hesitate to take appropriate action against those who take such coordinated steps to dishonestly claim benefits that take resources away from hard-working taxpayers and services that our residents require.”

In summing up, Honour Judge Lodge said: “It was a very serious matter that clearly passes the custodial sentence guidelines and if it wasn’t for the fact that you had children you would immediately be serving a custodial sentence.”

Thurrock Council is now progressing confiscation proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime act against Ms Nhika her assets will be stripped to repay the losses to the public purse.