A benefit fraudster who left the country following an investigation, has been fined more than £2,000.

Mohammed Michael Shahla, 36, of Eastwoodbury Crescent, Southend, pleaded guilty to eight counts of fraud by false representation and one count of retaining wrongful credit involving claims to housing benefit.

He had previously left the country before returning last month, where he was arrested by police at Heathrow Airport, and later charged.

He appeared at Southend Magistrates Court on Wednesday February 7.

Shahla was ordered to pay back a total of £1,596.59 which he had fraudulently claimed, along with a £200 fine and costs of £352.

The overall total he was ordered to pay back amounted to £2,148.59.

The beginnings of Shahla's fraudulent claims started in June 2011.

He sent an application for housing benefit to Southend Council where he claimed to live at an address in North Road, Westcliff and stated his rent was £485 per month.

Shahla also provided a tenancy agreement to support his application.

The council’s housing benefit team raised suspicions that the application was fraudulent after receiving it.

An investigation was launched by the counter fraud and investigation directorate.

The investigation found that Shahla had provided a false application and that he had also previously obtained housing benefit of around £1,600 for a property he owned, which he was not entitled to.

Following Shahla's hearing, Andrew Moring, councillor for corporate and community support, said: “Although the Council is committed to paying benefits to those who are entitled, it also has a duty to protect public funds and take action against people committing fraud.

"It is an offence to commit fraud and repayment of benefit is not the only action that the Council may wish to take.

“Even though this offence took place in 2011, this demonstrates that our counter fraud and investigation directorate will always pursue cases where it is in the public interest to do so, regardless of the time that has passed or even when the offender has left the country.”