Two fraudsters will spend Christmas behind bars after running a scam which helped them illegally claim thousands in benefits.

Noureddine Zedoud, 43, of Belmont Road, West Green, was found with a hoard of false passports, driving licences and ID cards when officers from Haringey Borough Council raided a property in High Road, Wood Green, in June this year.

Zedoud used a firm called Hogar Fashions in West Green Road as a cover to fraudulently claim for housing benefit at addresses in Haringey, Enfield and Barnet – raking in nearly £40,000 by using or possessing documents for 16 identities.

The company was set up by Hakim Ferrag, 51, of Acacia Road, Wood Green, as a cover for the scam, with Ferrag using three other identities for fraudulent claims.

Ferrag’s arrest for a handwritten housing benefit claim he made using a stolen identity in King’s Parade, Tottenham, resulted in the discovery of the duo's plot and led officers to Zedoud.

At Wood Green Crown Court on December 5, Zedoud was sentenced to 20 months in prison after pleading guilty to nine charges of fraud by false representation, seven charges relating to ID documents, three charges of theft and two charges of handling stolen goods.

He will serve a further ten months in prison due to being on licence when he was arrested.

Ferrag was sentenced to six months in prison after pleading guilty to three charges of fraud by false representation, and four charges relating to ID documents.

Councillor Jason Arthur, cabinet member for resources and culture, said: “This scheming duo thought they could get away with scamming thousands out of taxpayers by posing under more than a dozen false guises.

“But we will always investigate when we find evidence of fraudsters abusing the benefits system for personal gain, to protect the vast majority of families who rightly claim benefits they are entitled to.”