Asylum cheat who 'missed the sunshine back home' had £40k benefits WIRED to him

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Asylum cheat who 'missed the sunshine back home' had £40k benefits WIRED to him

AN ASYLUM seeker collected almost £40,000 in benefits despite returning home to Somalia four years ago.

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AN ASYLUM seeker collected almost £40,000 in benefits despite returning home to Somalia four years ago.

Mohamed Qoomal, 72, came to Britain as a refugee in 2002, claiming that his life was in danger in his home country.

But in 2013 he snuck back to Somalia, letting a friend live rent-free in a council-funded flat in Harrow, North West London.

He also had his pension credits wired to him.

The fraud went unnoticed until the Department for Work and Pensions wrote to his Harrow address asking to see him.

Qoomal's friend alerted him and he returned to the UK early last year.

He used a fake immigration stamp to try and fool investigators, but they were buying none of it.

This week he was jailed for 15 months after admitting two counts of dishonestly failing to notify a change of circumstances regarding pension credit and housing benefits.

Outrageously, Qoomal still received reduced benefits of £44-a-week while the case was pending.

He also demanded a taxpayer-funded interpreter during his case at Isleworth Crown Court.

udge Jonathan Ferris slammed the pensioner and said he was shocked that he had been allowed to get away with the scam for so long.

He said: "He came here as a refugee 15 years ago and then goes back to Somalia to enjoy the nice weather. How does that work?

"I don't see why a person who took nearly £39,000, went to another country and fabricated an immigration stamp on his passport should not go to prison immediately.

"What ties does he have in this country apart from the benefits system?"

Qoomal's lawyer told the court that he had gone to Somalia for health reasons, but has since suffered two heart attacks in two years.

The DWP said that anyone who abuses the system would be hunted down. It added: "Fraudsters divert support from those who need it most."

Daily-Star UK