Property dealer was benefit thief

Shabbir Chowdhury pocketed £45,000 in handouts, though he drove a Mercedes with a personalised number plate, and bought 12 houses across east London with £3million of loans after fraudulently filling in mortgage forms.

The married father and ex-postman, who lied to lenders while earning £105,000 a year as a marketing manager, admitted six counts of making false representation from December 2000 to July 2004. He had also told Newham Council he had a bad shoulder and could not work.

Judge Robert Fraser made a confiscation order for £750,000 and said he would be jailed for five years if he does not pay within 12 months. He adjourned sentencing Chowdhury for the benefit fraud until next month but warned “the starting point is a prison sentence”.