Woolwich: ID Fraudster Gets 22-month Custodial Sentence At Woolwich Crown Courts

by Benson Agoha

An ID fraudster has been successfully prosecuted by Royal Borough of Greenwich after the Woolwich Crown Court found him guilty of multiple charges.

A press release at Council website said Larry Kunle Daniels received a 22-month custodial sentence for fraudulently obtaining a UK passport in a false identity, and then using it to obtain a council tenancy, a £38,000 student loan and unemployment benefits.

He pleaded guilty for his actions and was sentenced on March 19th, 2014.

The statement said Mr Daniels was arrested in October 2013, after an investigation by officers from the Royal Borough's Internal Audit and Anti-Fraud Team and the Metropolitan Police.

He was charged with offences and remanded in custody after running out of the back door of a rented property in Gravesend, Kent, the statement from the Royal Borough said.

Although the accused had the documents in the stated names, investigations also revealed he had been attempting to obtain immigration status in the UK, under the name Mr Idowu, born 1971, for him and his family from a Gravesend address.

And his partner also held a council tenancy that was sub-let while she lived in Gravesend, investigations showed. She immediately terminated the tenancy after being confronted about the matter by officers from the Royal Borough's Internal Audit and Anti-Fraud Team.

Mr. Daniels, who was originally granted the council tenancy of a property in Eynsham Drive in October 2011, after submitting a housing application in August 2010 as a single male with no dependants, supported his application with the UK passport issued April 2007, in the name of Larry Kunle Daniels. His place and date of birth was given as Greenwich, 1974.

But Royal Borough investigations showed there was no record of a birth in this name held by the registry office for Greenwich.


Responding to the news, Royal Borough Leader, Cllr Chris Roberts, said: "I'm delighted that we were able to successfully work with the Met to bring Mr Daniels to justice."

He went on "his prosecution and sentencing sends a clear message to potential fraudsters that attempts to abuse the system will be detected and offenders will be caught and punished", adding "We will continue to work to ensure that our housing stock is only accessed by genuine deserving residents."

The Royal Borough is in the process of recovering the property from Mr Daniels through the civil court, the statement said.

* Follow me on Twitter(follow): @bensonagoha and @woolwichonline.