A fraudster who claimed more than £100,000 worth of benefits meant for the victims of the Grenfell Tower disaster will serve time in prison.

Sharife Elouahabi, 38, pleaded guilty to one charge of fraud by false representation at Isleworth Crown Court on November 5.

He was sentenced on Wednesday (November 21) at the same court.

Elhouhabi, of no fixed abode, was given a six year prison sentence.

The court heard that Elhouhabi claimed a total of £103,475.60 for accommodation and financial assistance between June 23, 2017, and June 25, 2018, following the Grenfell Tower fire on June 14, 2017, which claimed the lives of 72 people.

The fire destroyed a North Kensington tower block last year

He had claimed to have been staying at a flat on the 21st floor where a family is known to have died.

He was due to receive resettlement payments worth a further £14,730 to go towards a flat and free utilities, before the fraud was discovered.

An investigation revealed that Elhouhabi was living at another address in Kensington, and had no links to Grenfell Tower.

DC Ben Rouse, who led the investigation, said: "This was a substantial fraud, made all the more deplorable by the fact that it was committed in the immediate aftermath of the Grenfell Tower fire, with the money set aside to help those directly affected by the tragedy.

"Elhouhabi shamelessly took advantage of the efforts to rehouse people whose homes had been destroyed by claiming his link to one of the flats, and he was subsequently put in hotel accommodation.

"Further investigations revealed that he had not even lived in the tower.

"This is the latest in what is sadly a long line of Grenfell-related frauds.

"We will continue to investigate and where appropriate prosecute anyone who is financially profiting from the Grenfell fire, and taking away resources and support for the true victims."

Crown prosecutor Damaris Lakin added that Elouahabi had "misled" Grenfell recovery teams.

He said: "He was provided with emergency accommodation for a year, and when his deceit was uncovered he tried to persuade a relative to lie for him.

“The relatives of the people who he said he had been staying with were forced to refute his claims, causing them extreme distress.”

The Grenfell tragedy was back in the headlines this month after a shocking video on social media showed laughing party guests putting a replica of the tower on a bonfire.

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