A man who sub-let his one bedroom council home to unsuspecting tenants and actually lived more than 100 miles away has been sentenced by magistrates.

Michael Roberts was the legitimate tenant of the flat in Mead Close, Langley and applied to purchase the property under the 'right to buy' scheme.

But an investigation by the council’s corporate fraud team into whether the 34-year-old was entitled to purchase the property discovered he had illegally rented it out to four people over a three year period.

During a trial at Reading Magistrates’ Court the bench heard he was in fact living 140 miles away in Nottingham with the mother of his two children and had used that Nottinghamshire address to claim Child Tax Credits.

Between July 2013 and February 2016 he had four separate tenants, two of whom had paid deposits and rent payments directly into his bank account. A third tenant had been shocked to discover that he was in fact a sub-tenant in a council property during a visit by council officers in June 2015 just a week after he had moved in and redecorated. He moved out almost immediately after recovering his deposit from Mr Roberts.

Mr Roberts represented himself during the trial and claimed the rental payments deposited into his bank account were actually commission payments for work.

He was convicted on two counts: failing to disclose information between July 31, 2013 and October 14, 2013, contrary to section 3 of the Fraud Act and a second offence of illegally sub-letting the flat between October 15, 2013 and February 21, 2016 contrary to the Prevention of Social Housing Fraud Act 2013.

Mr Roberts was sentenced on December 13 at the same court to a 12 month community order and ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work. He was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of £1,250 plus a £60 victim surcharge.

Cllr Pavitar K Mann, cabinet member for planning and regulation, said: “Due to this conviction, Mr Roberts has lost his secure tenancy status, along with his right-to-buy.

“Steps will now be taken to recover the property so that it can be allocated to someone in genuine need who won’t abuse the privilege."