Two Jamaicans who falsely claimed more than £100,000 in accommodation and pre-paid credit cards by posing as victims of last June's Grenfell Tower fire in the UK are facing time in prison.
Elaine Douglas and Tommy Brooks were put up in hotels before staff at Kensington and Chelsea council realised the flat they claimed to live in did not exist.
The pair, both 51 years old, also tried to take advantage of a scheme allowing residents of the Grenfell Tower to remain in the UK for at least five years in case fears over immigration status prevented victims coming forward.
Ms Douglas was housed in the Radisson Blu hotel in Kensington for 276 nights at a cost of just over £55,000 to the council, as well running up a room service bill of nearly £270.
After complaining about the food in the hotel, she was given a pre-paid credit card, running up charges of more than $11,000.
She was also given a pre-paid card so she could travel free of charge.
Mr. Brooks also started off at the Radisson Blu before being moved to another hotel.
He spent 243 nights in hotel accommodation, costing the council more than $49,000.
He racked up a room service bill of £276 and charges of $9,000 on a pre-paid credit card.
He claimed nearly $58,400 in relief intended to help the victims of the fire, while Ms. Douglas claimed $67,123.
The Jamaicans pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud by false representation and one count of obtaining leave to remain in the UK by deception at Isleworth crown court.
The offences took place between August last year until their arrest on May 2.
Prosecutor Benjamin Holt told the court both managed to avoid immigration authorities for 16 years after entering the UK illegally.
Following the fire at Grenfell Tower, the government introduced a policy to allow those with insecure immigration status that had lost their homes to regulate their situation.
They were granted leave to remain for 12 months and that was later extended to five years.
All feeds
