A HARLOW couple who committed a number of housing tenancy fraud offences and were taken to court by Harlow Council have pleaded guilty.

Kellie and Mark Peachey were found to have made false declarations about their income in order to apply for and obtain a two-bedroom council house. Both were sentenced to individual Community Service Orders.

This property has since been reclaimed by the council and been given to another local family on the housing needs register.

Following lengthy proceedings at Chelmsford Crown Court, on 3 September, a joint confiscation order was granted by the Court requiring Mr and Mrs Peachey to pay the sum of £3,138 within three months.

The judge explained that failure to pay this within the given time could result in imprisonment for up to six months.

The council was also awarded £18,814.80 in court costs, which Mr and Mrs Peachey must pay within 24 months.

Commenting on the result, Councillor Mark Wilkinson, portfolio holder for housing, said: “I am very pleased with this result. I give my thanks to the housing and legal teams who worked closely together to bring this case to a successful conclusion. It sends out a strong message to anyone thinking of committing housing tenancy fraud.

“The fact that council housing is in short supply makes defrauding us in this way an even more serious issue. We will always use all the powers we have available to deal with housing tenancy fraud.

“If you suspect that housing tenancy fraud has been or is being committed, please do report it to us in complete confidence on 01279 446353 or by emailing [email protected][email protected].”

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Here are the original stories published on YH in 2019

A HARLOW couple who pleaded guilty to false declarations of their income in order to gain a council house have been sentenced.

Kellie Peachey, aged 44 and Mark Peachey aged 53 appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court on Monday.

The court heard that you do not qualify for a council house in Harlow if you have a combined income of more than £41,000 a year however, as can be seen from the charges below, Mr and Mrs Peachey fraudulently told Harlow Council that this was not the case.

Reference was made to one bank account where they had only £9.50 in credit.

An emotional and contrite Mr and Mrs Peachey did not have legal representation in court “as they could not afford it” but told the judge they were very sorry.

Mrs Peachey was described as the active partner in the perpetration of the crime and was given community order and will have to undertake 80 hours of unpaid work.

Mr Peachey was also given a community order and will have to undertake 40 hours of community work.

They were told they will have to return to court on March 9th, 2020 as a Proceeds of Crime Act order may be taken out again them.

The original charges are below.

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Kellie Peachey pleaded guilty to:

1.On 12/02/2019 at Harlow committed fraud in that you dishonestly failed to disclose to Harlow District Council information, namely that Mr and Mrs Peachey’s combined annual income was more than £41,000 in breach of section 3 of the Fraud Act, 2006, which you were under a legal duty to disclose, intending, by that failure, to make a gain, namely an introductory tenancy of 22 Oldhouse Croft, Harlow, Essex CM20 3QG, for yourself.

2.On 18/03/2019 at Harlow committed fraud in that you dishonestly failed to disclose to Harlow District Council information, namely that your annual income was £19,000 in breach of section 2 , which you were under a legal duty to disclose, intending, by that failure, to make a gain, namely an introductory tenancy of 22 Oldhouse Croft, Harlow, Essex CM20 3QG, for yourself.

3.On 18/03/2019 at Harlow in the county of Essex committed fraud in that you dishonestly failed to disclose to Harlow District Council information, namely that your annual income was more than £29,000 in breach of section 3 , which you were under a legal duty to disclose, intending, by that failure, to make a gain, namely an introductory tenancy of 22 Oldhouse Croft, Harlow, Essex CM20 3QG, for yourself.

4.On 18/03/2019 at Harlow in the county of Essex used an instrument, namely Tesco Bank annual statement, which was and which you knew or believed to be false, with the intention of inducing Harlow District Council and Tracey Field to accept it as genuine and by reason of so accepting it to do or not to do some act to her own or another person’s prejudice.
Contrary to sections 3 and 6 of the Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981.

Mark Peachey, aged 53, pleaded guilty to:

On 18/03/2019 at Harlow in the county of Essex committed fraud in that you dishonestly failed to disclose to Harlow District Council information, namely that Kellie Peachey’s annual income was more than £29,000 , which you were under a legal duty to disclose, intending, by that failure, to make a gain, namely an introductory tenancy of 22 Oldhoue Croft, Harlow, Essex CM20 3QG, for yourself.

On 17/05/2019 at Harlow in the county of Essex committed fraud in that you dishonestly failed to disclose to Harlow District Council information, namely that Mr and Mrs Peachey’s combined annual income was more than £41,000 , which you were under a legal duty to disclose, intending, by that failure, to make a gain, namely an introductory tenancy of 22 Oldhouse Croft, Harlow, Essex CM20 3QG, for yourself.