- Thursday, April 18, 2024
By: Alastair Lockhart
THE Labour MP accused of housing fraud has been cleared of all charges.
Apsana Begum MP burst into tears and collapsed as she was found not guilty of three charges of housing fraud between 2013 and 2016.
The jury reached their verdict on the second day of their deliberation, after over six hours in total.
She was found not guilty on the eighth day of her trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court.
The prosecution charged that after making an initial social housing application in 2011, Apsana Begum failed to inform Tower Hamlets council of changes to her circumstances, allowing her to jump the queue.
Begum denied the charges, claiming that her “controlling and coercive” ex-husband made bids for social housing without her knowledge and that she had kept the council informed of her living situation.
Begum was given a social housing studio flat in March 2016.
She first made an application for housing when living with her parents on the basis of overcrowding, with six people in a four bedroom house.
However, the prosecution argued that for a long period only four people lived in the house, and showed an application letter to the court written by Begum’s aunt which stated that the property had four bedrooms.
Begum maintained throughout the trial that the property always had three bedrooms and at no point did she have a room of her own.
The defence stated that Ms Begum’s ex-husband, Ehtashamul Haque, controlled Ms Begum’s financial affairs when they lived together between 2013 and 2015.
The court heard that Haque was unfaithful and drank heavily during this period.
However, prosecutor James Marsland accused Begum of lying about her application and lying to the court about her involvement in the housing bids.
Marsland stated that Haque could not have made social housing by himself, as he would have needed Begum’s application details.
Marsland added that as all correspondence about the application would have been sent to the address of Begum’s parents, making it near-impossible for him to gain social housing without her knowledge.
Marsland said on the fifth day of the trial: “Not only is it pointless because he can’t make a gain, it wouldn’t even work.”
Begum replied: “I can’t explain his behaviour.”
Marsland also asked her: Marsland asked: “The reality is, this is you making these bids isn’t it?”
Begum replied: “No.”
When Begum separated with Haque, she moved back into her family home, where had made the initial social housing application.
Begum claimed that she called the council to inform them of the changes to her circumstances in 2013 and 2015.
However, the prosecution argued that there was no record of either call and that the council had always been under the impression that Ms Begum was living at her parents’ address.
‘Caused great distress’
Begum delivered a statement to the press after the verdict.
She said: “This case has been driven by malicious intent and has caused me great distress and damage to my reputation.
“I would like to say a sincere thank you to all my legal team and all those who have shown me solidarity, support and kindness.
“As a survivor of domestic abuse facing these vexatious charges, the last 18 months of false accusations, online sexist, racist, and Islamophobic abuse, and threats to my saftey, have been exceedingly difficult.
“I also thank the jury for vindiciating me, and the judge for presiding over the trial.
“I will be consulting and considering how to follow up so that something like this doesn’t happen again to anyone else.
“I would now like to get on with my job of representing my constituents – opposing the negligent Covid decisions made by Johnson’s reckless Tory government which has caused so many families to lose loved ones who should still be with us today and so much hardship that could have been avoided.
“My comrades and friends in Poplar and Limehouse and beyond have stood by me, I have and will always stand by them.”
A spokesperson for Tower Hamlets Council said: “We have a duty to investigate any allegations of housing fraud in order to ensure public money is spent correctly and that those waiting on our housing register are treated fairly.
“After reviewing the evidence with the benefit of independent legal advice, it was found it to be strong enough to bring the matter to court where it was agreed there was a case to answer.
“We fully accept the verdict, that justice has run its course and that the matter is now closed.”
(Local Democracy Reporting Service)
