Episode 3 Britain on the Fiddle


Episode 3

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Transcript


LineFromTo

He's carrying fishing rods on his back.

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Yeah, I've got him, Deb.

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There's absolutely nothing wrong with him,

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-is there?

-No.

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He's fit and well, but claiming disability.

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Benefit fraud costs the British taxpayer £1.6 billion a year.

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My name is Richard Bilton and I've spent the last five years following

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benefit fraud investigators...

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Ooh!

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..and the people they're after.

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All I envisaged was prison and the door being slammed.

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In this episode...

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She's wearing a blue puffer jacket with a brown handbag.

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Her level of deception, it's beyond my comprehension.

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..investigators struggle to bring a sophisticated fraudster to book...

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Cannabis factory upstairs.

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..a woman fights for her home and reputation...

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I'm not a wrong 'un, I'm not a cannabis grower,

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I'm not all this drug person they think I'm made out to be.

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..and investigating suspects so disabled,

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they're getting benefits for life.

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His nickname's Sick Note.

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It's a well-known fact that he's been fiddling.

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Action.

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This is Tania Amisi.

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She's stylish...

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..has expensive tastes...

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..and travels the world.

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She is also thought to be funding it

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with benefits totalling hundreds of thousands of pounds.

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'I've come to meet the investigators who are trying to catch her - '

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-Hi, Richard.

-How you doing?

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'Mo Stanislas and undercover officer Helen.'

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LIFT: Doors opening.

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Mo and Helen specialise in investigating high-value

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fraud cases, but the woman they're after is brazen and smart.

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This is her company - fake company - Le Chateau D'or.

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-That's her.

-That's her there?

-Yeah.

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Tania Amisi is a single mum who works on a minimum wage

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in a betting shop.

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At least that's what she claimed.

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And according to this website, she's got a fashion house.

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Which is selling exclusive designer wear.

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Very expensive prices, so it shows that she's not being genuine

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with the information she's given.

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Tania's life, which they found played out over the internet,

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suggests glamour and wealth, but it's a lie.

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She's a crook.

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They started investigating her after she was arrested for

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trying to cash false cheques.

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The police found fake IDs and bank statements in her flat that showed

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large amounts of money being paid into them by councils across London.

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So within a few days of each other we've got Westminster Council paying

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housing benefit, London Borough of Brent, Hackney starts paying her.

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They're big sums, aren't they?

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They're massive amounts. That's over £3,500 within a couple of days of

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-each other.

-We tend to do multiple ID frauds,

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but hers is off the scale in the fact that she's manipulated

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so many different local authorities and they're unaware of it.

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How much do you think she's taken, just from looking at the file?

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20,000, 30,000.

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And that's only a snapshot.

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A snapshot of a couple of months here in 2010.

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When we started to look further into it, we realised that they were live,

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we've got live benefit claims running at this moment in time.

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They found three housing benefit claims she's currently making

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in boroughs across London. It's evidence of a crime,

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but they need to link her to the bank accounts.

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RADIO CRACKLES

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The plan now is to launch an undercover surveillance operation.

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Housing is a national problem.

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1.2 million people are on the waiting list for council houses.

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On the outskirts of London, Havering Council has launched a crackdown.

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Investigators already have a woman in their sights.

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Hello. Come in.

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Meet Julie Smith.

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-Shut the door.

-She earns a living as a gardener.

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-This is my dad.

-Hello there.

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I'm living with Mum and Dad.

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She's living with us.

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Shall I put it the proper way? She's poncing.

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HE LAUGHS

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My mum's always cooked for everyone.

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Whoever comes round, she's always got a spare dinner,

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-haven't you, Mum?

-Yeah. Even if they want it or not.

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THEY LAUGH

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Julie moved in with her parents

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after she came under investigation for fraud.

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I think I just needed to show you my side of the story to show you

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that I'm not a wrong 'un, I'm just a normal person.

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The allegations are serious.

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She could end up doing time.

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I don't want to get put in prison,

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you know. I don't really feel like I've done anything wrong.

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I really don't feel like I've done anything wrong.

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You haven't. She hasn't.

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Well, benefit fraud should never enter her mind.

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Cos if Julie wants anything,

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she comes to us like the rest of the kids do.

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It's just the way they've said it's happened,

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and OK, I can see from their side,

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but it's not how it happened.

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None of it's happened like that.

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She's been shit on from a great height by numpties.

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Morning, everybody. We're a little bit restrained for time.

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The warrant is in relation to benefit and housing fraud.

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It all started a year ago when Havering Council organised a raid on

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Julie's boyfriend's house.

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And then if they're not there, I've got her telephone number,

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so we could call her to come back instead of putting the door in.

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Is that all right?

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Ruth Kirby and Leigh Stevens

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are fraud investigators from Havering.

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They're in charge of the case.

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Tell me what your suspicions are, then.

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My suspicions are that we're paying housing benefit for a property

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that Miss Smith's not living in.

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This is where Julie Smith is supposed to live -

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a council flat in Romford. But investigators think

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she really lives 60 miles away with her boyfriend.

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They're going to raid both properties.

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Is there any defendable reason why you could have two properties?

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No. She's made a claim for housing benefit in Romford

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and that's where she should be living.

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First stop, it's her boyfriend's, where they think she's now living.

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It's a lot of cops, isn't it?

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It's a lot of cops.

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We're hoping to find her there and then, you know,

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see that she actually lives in the house by looking at, you know,

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the set-up of the house. If all her clothes are there

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and her correspondence, that they're living together as a couple.

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Well, it looks like there's someone in.

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(Do we go in there?)

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Thank you.

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OK, thanks very much.

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Hello. Are you Julie Smith?

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-Yeah.

-Yeah, hello. I'm Ruth

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and I work for the housing benefit investigations team.

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We're here today because you're not residing at the property

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that you're claiming benefit for.

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This is the moment Julie Smith first realises she's in trouble.

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What we just want you to give us is any of your correspondence,

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like your driving licence, your passport,

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your bank statements.

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I also understand that you put in a Right to Buy application

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-to buy that property?

-Yeah, I am at the moment.

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OK. Well, you're obviously not residing there.

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-I do reside there, yeah.

-Do you?

-Yeah, I stay here as well.

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All right, OK.

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Well, could you just get your correspondence for us now then?

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I don't know if I've got anything like that.

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Where's all your bank statements? Where are they kept?

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DOG BARKS

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Erm, Santander...

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They came early in the morning. It was just a shock.

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I couldn't make out what they were talking about and where they were

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getting their information from. What are you looking for?

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Well, just stuff that's addressed to you, really, because you're not

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residing at the property that housing benefit's being paid on.

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This is your home, isn't it?

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-No.

-OK.

-This is Neil's home.

-All right, then.

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It was a shock, yes, especially at Neil's house because Neil's,

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you know, he's not, he's so straight, isn't he?

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-He's not like that.

-HER FATHER:

-Soft jelly, isn't he?

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-Yeah.

-Frightened the life out of you, didn't it?

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Neil had a little bit of weed there.

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-Sergeant.

-Sarge.

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They've found a cannabis, cannabis plants upstairs.

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Cannabis factory upstairs.

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Julie's boyfriend has a bit more than housing benefit to explain.

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Nearly one in 20 of the British population

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claim disability benefits.

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Most are genuine,

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but finding the fraudsters requires specialist investigators.

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In Staffordshire, Lisa Prince is the lead investigator

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tackling those suspected of exaggerating their disabilities.

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The public have seen these types of cases on TV,

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particularly with the surveillance.

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This is our equipment cupboard where we keep all the covert cameras.

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Bit like James Bond, 007.

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It's the old cliche, isn't it? The camera never lies.

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She's looking at some extreme cases of people who are supposed to be

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so disabled, they've been awarded benefits for life.

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It's where there is no review of the benefit.

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Those are the people that the Department view

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would never get better.

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Like this man, Steven "Buster" Fitzpatrick.

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He says he's got arthritis so bad that he can't grip a pen

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and needs 24-7 care.

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They've had a report on the fraud hotline

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that he's a local fishing champion.

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A tip-off is one thing, but proving it, quite another.

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It'll need an undercover sting.

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Do you know what, I'm going to get underneath.

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I'm not suited and booted, I'm afraid.

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Hello.

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Lisa's got wind that Buster will be

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taking part in a fishing competition here this weekend.

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What we'll do, we'll pick him up from the car park,

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hopefully get some footage

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carrying his fishing equipment along this path.

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Now, Buster claims he's wheelchair-bound.

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They want to see how he'll navigate this path.

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It's useful having that building opposite.

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We can use that as cover.

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Nobody will know that we're here on the day.

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We'll be completely covert.

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Just need for him to make sure he turns up, so fingers crossed.

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It's the day of the fishing competition.

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Lisa's sent investigators Donna and Mark

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to stake out Buster's home address.

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-BLEEP

-hell!

-Speed bumps.

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That wasn't a bump, that was like a person!

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PHONE RINGS

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-LISA:

-You all right?

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Hiya. Lise, he's just opening his curtains, love.

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Oh, is he?

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Seven in the morning and it looks like their target is getting ready

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-to go fishing.

-He's standing holding his back,

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talking to his mate who's come over

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with all his fishing gear on a trolley.

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The fact that he's actually coming out to fish...

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-What a start.

-Just hope they don't decide to go to another venue.

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It's going to be interesting today to see

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what he's actually capable of doing himself.

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The team meet up at the fishing pond and get into position.

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That's the pond where they'll be fishing, so he's got to walk down,

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or get his wheelchair down this path here.

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This is perfect, though, isn't it?

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I didn't realise we were going to be as close as this.

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Ooh, you make a lovely window cleaner!

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Donna's going to film hopefully from inside her car of him arriving.

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Just wait for him to turn up now.

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They're here.

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And they are out, out, out.

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He's wearing a green and white plaid shirt.

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Maybe a beige baseball cap.

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He's carrying fishing rods on his back.

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Yeah, I've got him, Deb. And his trolley.

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Yeah, I've got him.

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Unaided.

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Oh, he's getting his rod out.

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Sorry?!

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THEY SNIGGER

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What's he doing with that? He's got no grip.

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There's absolutely nothing wrong with him, is there?

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They've seen him fishing, but to get a conviction,

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they need to prove how long he's been at it.

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Back with the Havering investigators,

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the search for evidence of Julie Smith's suspected

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housing benefit fraud has uncovered another crime.

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There's probably about 12 plants there,

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but to me they look like they are in full bloom

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and probably ready for harvest. It's a bonus for us.

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Judging from what he's telling me,

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and I've got no reason to disbelieve him at the moment,

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but he says it's for his personal use.

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Oh, right, because he's got arthritis, hasn't he? Yeah.

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All I'm trying to do is save myself a bit of bloody money.

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I thought I'd have a go myself. What a div I am.

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HE LAUGHS

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-You'll come across then, mate?

-Yeah, ready to go, yeah.

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Julie and her boyfriend are arrested for suspected drug offences,

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but the search for evidence to prove she's living here continues.

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Why would all this correspondence

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going back to 2003 be in this address?

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She was adamant that she just stays here, it's her boyfriend's place,

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but it looks like it's her home.

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We've just got to wait for our colleagues to find out what they see

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at the claim address, so...

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In Romford, another team is arriving at Julie's council flat.

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This is where she's suppose to be living and where she's getting

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housing benefit, but investigators think she's been renting it out.

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That's another criminal offence.

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KNOCKING

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It's the police. Open the door.

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Hi, mate. You all right?

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This is the man they think she's renting it to.

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He's a painter and decorator, and, coincidentally,

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he's wanted by the police for a separate offence.

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You've had a good party here last night by the look of it.

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-Yeah, I know.

-How long have you been living here for?

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I don't...

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On and off, a while.

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Whose flat is it? Do you know?

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Julie Smith's.

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What's the arrangement with you being here and not her?

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She, erm, she is here, but she stays with her boyfriend,

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or round her mum's and that.

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The investigators are looking for evidence

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that Julie spends time here.

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Well, there's nothing of hers in here.

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This is all male stuff in here.

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No indication that a female is living here.

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No clothes, no personal belongings,

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nothing at all. No toothbrush, no deodorant.

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But they find something that rings alarm bells.

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Building stuff, is it?

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-There.

-You'll see here.

-All these lights.

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And a transformer.

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It's a nice link between the two addresses for us.

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As well as housing benefit fraud,

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they suspect the council flat is also being used as a cannabis farm.

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We've found...

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the light holders they use when they're growing cannabis.

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-Oh, right.

-They may well have been going to do the same thing here.

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I'll let the sergeant know, then.

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I'm serving a formal notice to quit.

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OK, so she's got a month to vacate the property,

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and anybody else that's living here, which will include yourself. OK?

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Anyway, job well done, though, mate, weren't it?

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The man arrested at the flat is never charged,

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but Julie is left with a lot of explaining to do.

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The council tried to sew it up to make you look bad and they done it.

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It did, though, it did look bad.

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-Well, of course it did.

-'Course it looked horrible because

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when I went up there I thought, "Oh, my God, how embarrassing," you know?

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I didn't go to Neil's and leave it like that.

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Julie says there's an explanation for everything the council saw.

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The thing is the flat,

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to me, that was her little castle.

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-She loved it.

-It was a lovely flat.

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It's always been my home, always been my home.

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This was my flat before I started

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having the wardrobe ripped out in the bedroom

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and everything was taken out of there and the state it was in,

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what the fraud investigators saw,

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is because it was being decorated.

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Julie says the man found at the flat was decorating it for her.

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This is Paul decorating the bedroom for me in June.

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This was before the council even came to my flat.

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You know, I didn't have to pay him.

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He's my son's ex-girlfriend's uncle and he's just been

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a long-term friend for ages. We didn't have pay him.

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I didn't have to pay him nothing.

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He just, if he wanted to stay there..

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-He was a dosser, really, wasn't he?

-He had no fixed abode.

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He plastered every room, he put new skirtings, he knocked wardrobes out,

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he just did everything. New covings.

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Yeah, he was there quite a while,

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but then there was a lot of work to do.

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But Julie admits she wasn't living

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at her flat when the council raided it.

0:19:230:19:27

I moved out in May 2014...

0:19:270:19:33

..because my ex-partner had escaped from prison

0:19:350:19:39

and he knew where I lived and I knew he would come looking for me.

0:19:390:19:44

He's beaten me up, he's stabbed my dog,

0:19:440:19:47

he's had my son around the throat, stole off of us.

0:19:470:19:50

He's just a bad one and, you know, I've had a lot of run-ins with him.

0:19:500:19:55

That's why nothing of mine was in the flat, because he's a burglar.

0:19:560:19:59

He would've broke in, he would probably have known

0:19:590:20:01

I was still there and waited about for me.

0:20:010:20:03

So I got everything out the flat

0:20:030:20:05

that I thought he would notice was mine.

0:20:050:20:08

All my paperwork, most of my clothes,

0:20:080:20:11

and it worked out fine for me anyway because the men

0:20:110:20:15

were in doing the kitchen, so I was out of the way.

0:20:150:20:18

It is a defence Julie hopes will persuade the council

0:20:180:20:21

that she hasn't done anything wrong.

0:20:210:20:24

Well, I'm looking forward to what the explanation is, basically.

0:20:240:20:27

I don't know what she's going to say. It's not being used properly,

0:20:270:20:31

so you're not allowed to grow drugs in council properties.

0:20:310:20:35

And we'd like to get the money back that she's had

0:20:350:20:38

in housing benefit for all the time that she's not lived there.

0:20:380:20:42

With the evidence they have,

0:20:420:20:43

Havering is determined to prosecute Julie.

0:20:430:20:47

Yeah, could all units just take up the original plot position?

0:20:560:20:59

RADIO CHATTER

0:20:590:21:01

In London, Mo and Helen have started

0:21:010:21:05

a major surveillance operation.

0:21:050:21:07

Their target, a sophisticated fraudster Tania Amisi,

0:21:100:21:14

has amassed 13 fraudulent housing benefit claims

0:21:140:21:18

using false identities.

0:21:180:21:20

They want to see what else she's been up to.

0:21:200:21:23

Tania's doing pretty well for herself.

0:21:250:21:28

She lives in Chelsea, one of the most expensive areas in the country.

0:21:280:21:32

Yes, yes, back to you, visual.

0:21:340:21:36

The team has cancelled most of her housing benefit claims

0:21:360:21:40

and this morning one of the few councils she's still

0:21:400:21:43

getting money from has called her in for a meeting.

0:21:430:21:47

So we have a feeling that she may turn up in order to get paid.

0:21:470:21:52

Erm, and if she doesn't,

0:21:520:21:53

my feeling is that she's got other claims

0:21:530:21:56

that we haven't located as yet.

0:21:560:22:00

-MAN ON RADIO:

-Stand by, stand by, stand by.

0:22:000:22:03

Female, possibly subject one.

0:22:030:22:05

She came out of the address

0:22:050:22:06

with a young child.

0:22:060:22:10

She's wearing a blue puffer jacket with a brown handbag.

0:22:100:22:14

Heading towards Lots Road.

0:22:170:22:20

Away, away from the stand.

0:22:200:22:22

And through lights on green.

0:22:230:22:25

Yeah, just to confirm that Lima Two is now in the vicinity.

0:22:310:22:35

Yes, yes.

0:22:370:22:39

Perfect view.

0:22:390:22:41

She drops her child off at school,

0:22:410:22:44

but instead of going to the council for her meeting,

0:22:440:22:47

she goes back home and stays there.

0:22:470:22:50

She must have something else up her sleeve.

0:22:530:22:56

The local authority investigator benefit assessor has called her

0:22:580:23:03

and when she asked to speak to Tanya Westwood,

0:23:030:23:06

the person on the phone line has turned round and said, "Who?"

0:23:060:23:09

And then she said, "Oh, yes."

0:23:090:23:11

And then the phone has gone off, so the assessor's called,

0:23:110:23:14

made an attempt to call her again and it's gone to answering machine.

0:23:140:23:18

So we'll just sit tight and wait to see what happens.

0:23:180:23:21

Yes, yes. 01 has the visual.

0:23:210:23:24

Over the next three days they're going to try to find out if she has

0:23:260:23:31

any accomplices and see what bank cards she uses

0:23:310:23:34

in an attempt to link her to the fraudulent claims.

0:23:340:23:38

Yeah, she's crossing the road towards...to go shopping.

0:23:380:23:43

The loss of her housing benefits

0:23:430:23:45

doesn't seem to have affected her much.

0:23:450:23:47

-WOMAN ON RADIO:

-She is on the upper level in Nando's.

0:23:490:23:51

She's at a bus stand across the road from Harrods.

0:23:560:24:01

Please don't tell me she's going to Harrods.

0:24:040:24:07

She's going to Harrods.

0:24:070:24:08

She's shopping in Harrods.

0:24:100:24:12

SHE CHUCKLES

0:24:120:24:14

She's got a few bags, her son's got a bag.

0:24:230:24:26

They've been, erm... having a great time.

0:24:260:24:30

In, in, in to the cinema.

0:24:300:24:33

The surveillance links Tanya

0:24:330:24:35

to the bank accounts being used for fraud.

0:24:350:24:38

The investigation also throws up another bank account

0:24:380:24:42

they weren't aware of.

0:24:420:24:44

This is a fraction of Tanya Westwood,

0:24:470:24:52

Tania Amisi's claims that we've got from some of

0:24:520:24:56

the local authorities in London.

0:24:560:24:58

It's three months on and they've now built up a fuller picture of

0:24:580:25:02

how Tania operates.

0:25:020:25:04

Whilst we were out on surveillance she had actually had a live claim in

0:25:040:25:08

the borough of Newham.

0:25:080:25:11

It transpired that she took out a tenancy agreement

0:25:110:25:14

with a private housing association.

0:25:140:25:16

She then further sublet flats to three other individuals,

0:25:160:25:21

took deposits from them and they were also paying her

0:25:210:25:24

just over £500 a month rent. Each of them.

0:25:240:25:27

On top of that, she went back to Newham Council

0:25:270:25:30

and claimed housing benefit.

0:25:300:25:32

By stealing the housing benefit and then subletting the flat,

0:25:320:25:36

she was making up to £3,000 a month on a single property.

0:25:360:25:40

It's a scam she repeats over and over and always ends the same way.

0:25:420:25:47

The tenants get thrown out.

0:25:470:25:49

It's become obvious that this is her thing,

0:25:490:25:52

this is her MO, and this is what she does because it's easy money.

0:25:520:25:56

She obviously don't care about people's lives.

0:25:560:25:59

She wrecks people's lives, as long as her life is OK.

0:25:590:26:01

She uses it to buy designer clothes

0:26:010:26:03

and she uses it to show off on the internet. You know what?

0:26:030:26:07

I'm looking forward to getting her arrested.

0:26:070:26:09

It will be just nice to say that we've shut you down

0:26:090:26:12

and you can't do this any more, and you know,

0:26:120:26:14

we're not going to allow you to get away with it.

0:26:140:26:17

With a mountain of evidence against her,

0:26:170:26:20

the plan is to arrest Tania Amisi in the next few days.

0:26:200:26:24

In Staffordshire, the investigation

0:26:300:26:32

into fisherman Steven "Buster" Fitzpatrick continues.

0:26:320:26:36

It's a well-known fact

0:26:360:26:38

that he's been fiddling.

0:26:380:26:40

Trips to local fishing ponds

0:26:400:26:42

have given her an insight into the man she's following.

0:26:420:26:45

His nickname's Sick Note,

0:26:450:26:47

so I think they all know that he's claiming some sort of benefits.

0:26:470:26:52

I think it is common knowledge, to be honest.

0:26:520:26:55

And Buster is such a skilled fisherman,

0:26:550:26:58

he's even made the local paper.

0:26:580:27:00

Ooh, that was interesting.

0:27:000:27:02

The fishing competition that was on Sunday, he actually won it, again,

0:27:020:27:06

our man. There we go.

0:27:060:27:08

"Last weekend where first place went to Buster Fitzpatrick.

0:27:080:27:10

"His next match is this Sunday."

0:27:100:27:12

The question is how long he's been committing fraud,

0:27:120:27:16

and the newspaper report has given her an idea.

0:27:160:27:19

-Can you smell the history?

-Yeah, it's lovely.

0:27:190:27:22

So what years are you looking for?

0:27:220:27:24

Probably from 2005 onwards.

0:27:240:27:27

Lisa's come to the local paper to see if she can find

0:27:270:27:30

more old fishing reports.

0:27:300:27:32

Go on, then, that'll do. Ooh!

0:27:320:27:35

So...

0:27:380:27:39

-Found one.

-Have you?

-Yeah. First place went to Buster Fitzpatrick.

0:27:420:27:46

Got a Buster Fitzpatrick winning.

0:27:460:27:49

Yeah, and another one.

0:27:490:27:50

September. So you've got July, August and September now.

0:27:500:27:53

Oh, all right.

0:27:530:27:55

Every past report is further proof

0:27:550:27:56

of how long he's been committing fraud.

0:27:560:27:58

It's a good job that he is quite good because

0:27:580:28:00

he wouldn't feature in the reports otherwise.

0:28:000:28:02

I've got competition results from

0:28:020:28:05

a month after he actually put his claim into disability benefits.

0:28:050:28:09

It just defies belief why they choose to do something like this.

0:28:090:28:14

And at the end of the day, we're basically funding his hobby.

0:28:140:28:17

They now think Buster has been lying since day one

0:28:170:28:20

and they've got the hard evidence to prove it.

0:28:200:28:23

It's time to bring him in for questioning.

0:28:250:28:28

He may hold his hands up.

0:28:280:28:30

-Not too high, though.

-No, of course.

0:28:300:28:32

-His manual dexterity's quite poor, isn't it?

-His shoulders as well.

0:28:320:28:35

Donna tends to be the good cop and I tend to be the bad cop.

0:28:350:28:38

I just get frustrated when people just aren't being honest with us

0:28:380:28:42

when we've got, you know,

0:28:420:28:44

especially with the surveillance footage, which is so damning.

0:28:440:28:48

Buster's arrived at the Job Centre for an interview under caution.

0:28:480:28:53

He's replaced his fishing rod with a crutch.

0:28:530:28:56

All right, lovely. We'll be down shortly. Cheers, bye. Bye.

0:28:560:29:00

Ah.

0:29:020:29:04

-Guess where he's parked?

-Disabled space?

0:29:040:29:06

The nearest one.

0:29:060:29:08

Judging by his appearance,

0:29:080:29:10

Buster doesn't look like a man ready to come clean.

0:29:100:29:13

It'll just be interesting to see what he's got to say,

0:29:130:29:16

and if he has got excuses, what excuses he's going to throw at me.

0:29:160:29:21

-RECORDING:

-The time is 12.28.

0:29:220:29:25

Would you state your full name.

0:29:250:29:27

You've described the way that you walk as extremely poor.

0:29:290:29:32

You've explained to me that you do need physical support.

0:29:320:29:34

Is that every time that you're outdoors?

0:29:340:29:36

-Yes.

-It is?

-Yes, it is, yes.

0:29:360:29:38

OK. So you can never go out alone, at all, anywhere?

0:29:380:29:42

Right, OK.

0:29:550:29:57

So... Right, OK.

0:29:590:30:01

Yeah, OK.

0:30:010:30:03

Do you wish to change anything that you've told me so far?

0:30:030:30:06

Because I'm going to show you some surveillance footage now

0:30:070:30:10

that we've taken of you.

0:30:100:30:12

If you saw this person in the street, Steven,

0:30:120:30:15

would you describe them as unable or virtually unable to walk

0:30:150:30:19

and required constant care, 24/7?

0:30:190:30:22

Because that's the reason why your benefit's been awarded.

0:30:220:30:26

Well done! Well done, girl.

0:30:470:30:49

He said, "You've caught me hook, line and sinker."

0:30:490:30:52

-Yeah.

-So I thought that was quite appropriate.

0:30:520:30:54

I said, you been honest with me? He went, "Yeah, yeah!"

0:30:540:30:57

I thought, "Right..." That's when he got my goat.

0:30:570:30:59

-It gets my back up easy.

-I know.

0:30:590:31:02

-You get a little bit faster.

-Do I?

-Yeah.

0:31:020:31:05

And it's like, "Oh, you've riled her now, mate!"

0:31:050:31:08

I've never seen anybody that disabled - when he walked in.

0:31:080:31:11

I've just said that. It was like, unbelievable, wasn't it?

0:31:110:31:15

He wore a hearing aid, wrist splints on both, he had an elbow crutch.

0:31:150:31:21

Quite pitiful.

0:31:230:31:26

But that changed as the interview went on,

0:31:260:31:28

so it was quite interesting.

0:31:280:31:30

At court, Buster pleads guilty to more than £30,000 worth of fraud.

0:31:320:31:38

He's given an eight-month suspended sentence.

0:31:380:31:43

Hello there. I'm phoning to request a suspension

0:31:430:31:45

of somebody's DLA, please.

0:31:450:31:48

Lisa puts an end to his claim.

0:31:480:31:50

But her next case...

0:31:510:31:53

-Shall we sit outside, with it being nice?

-..could be more difficult.

0:31:530:31:55

There's usually some chairs around the side, isn't there?

0:31:550:31:58

-It's me who was keeping him back, gassing.

-Oh, it's all right.

0:31:580:32:01

In London, there's been a dawn raid.

0:32:090:32:12

Tania Amisi, the woman with multiple identities

0:32:120:32:15

has been arrested in her Chelsea flat.

0:32:150:32:18

'This interview is being recorded. Can you please state your name?'

0:32:190:32:22

She looked a little startled, but I think even though she was startled,

0:32:240:32:28

she remained confident,

0:32:280:32:30

because I don't think she was 100% sure what it was all about.

0:32:300:32:33

So far, Helen and Mo have found Tania's made 37 claims

0:32:350:32:40

from 22 councils and used four different identities to get them.

0:32:400:32:45

'You've given me your details today as Tania Amisi,

0:32:450:32:48

'and you aren't known by any other names?'

0:32:480:32:51

'Any other names apart from those two that you've been using?'

0:32:540:32:58

'Now, you're known by a number of aliases

0:33:000:33:03

'including Tania Amidi, Mbeko Amisi,

0:33:030:33:06

'Tanya Amisi, Tania Amisia and Tanasi Amosi.

0:33:060:33:10

'Why would the Home Office have those details for you

0:33:100:33:12

'as aliases when you told me that the only two names you use

0:33:120:33:15

'are Tania Amisi and Tanya Westwood?'

0:33:150:33:19

Initially, at the beginning of the interview,

0:33:190:33:22

she was very relaxed and very cocky.

0:33:220:33:25

'How do you support yourself to live?

0:33:250:33:27

'You don't know how much you pay in rent?'

0:33:290:33:32

'But I'm asking you a question.'

0:33:320:33:35

'We put you under surveillance last October and we followed you.'

0:33:350:33:40

'So why are you claiming money for an address where you don't live?'

0:33:400:33:44

So, when we brought up the fact that we actually did surveillance

0:33:470:33:51

on her, we followed her, she didn't say anything,

0:33:510:33:54

but there was a look of shock and horror in her face that we actually

0:33:540:33:58

followed her on numerous days to see what she was up to.

0:33:580:34:01

She realised she was in trouble.

0:34:030:34:04

With Tania under arrest, her flat is searched.

0:34:070:34:10

It provides an eye-opening insight into her lifestyle.

0:34:150:34:19

When we were searching her bedroom,

0:34:220:34:25

she had nearly every designer bag you can possibly think of.

0:34:250:34:29

She had a Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Hermes,

0:34:290:34:33

-YSL...

-Givenchy.

-Givenchy, Dolce & Gabbana -

0:34:330:34:37

every bag you could think of, high-end bag, she had them.

0:34:370:34:40

And they were just thrown in the bottom of the wardrobe.

0:34:400:34:43

These bags are estimated to cost more than £20,000.

0:34:430:34:48

Barclays, Visa debit card, Santander...

0:34:480:34:51

They've also found seven credit cards

0:34:510:34:54

linked to three different identities

0:34:540:34:57

as well as two Congolese passports.

0:34:570:34:59

This passport is full of visas...

0:34:590:35:01

For the Ivory Coast...

0:35:020:35:05

-Brussels.

-Brussels.

0:35:050:35:08

This is a visa for America.

0:35:080:35:12

Egypt. Morocco.

0:35:120:35:14

-A frequent flyer.

-A very frequent flyer.

0:35:140:35:17

Well, what else has she to do? She's not working.

0:35:170:35:21

She was getting money from various different sources. It was all free.

0:35:230:35:26

So what best way to spend it other than holidaying and shopping?

0:35:260:35:31

While she was on holidays, she went to the Prada outlet.

0:35:330:35:37

You can see that she spent over 2,000 euros.

0:35:370:35:40

I've never encountered anybody that we've ever arrested or investigated

0:35:430:35:48

to have amassed so much money and goods...

0:35:480:35:52

..that's been funded by the taxpayer.

0:35:540:35:56

But they don't have Tania in custody for long.

0:35:580:36:01

She's got a small child and her lawyer manages to

0:36:010:36:05

get her out on bail with a tag and a list of strict conditions.

0:36:050:36:08

Two weeks later, and it's time to face justice.

0:36:230:36:27

Tania's been summoned to Crown Court.

0:36:280:36:33

It was listed for hearing at ten o'clock but she didn't attend,

0:36:330:36:36

as I understand it, because she has been to the hospital.

0:36:360:36:40

I have concerns when someone who's charged with being in possession of

0:36:400:36:44

a false passport not turning up at court,

0:36:440:36:47

but I want to know it's a genuine appointment with a doctor

0:36:470:36:49

or a hospital, because, for all I know,

0:36:490:36:51

they may be on a flight to a foreign country.

0:36:510:36:55

They fear she's done a runner is well-placed.

0:36:550:36:58

Tania has cut off her tag and vanished.

0:36:580:37:02

She's skipped bail. So we're not sure whether or not

0:37:030:37:05

she's in the country or she's out of the country.

0:37:050:37:08

However, my colleague has requested some bank statements,

0:37:080:37:10

her bank statements, so that we can see

0:37:100:37:13

if she's accessed her accounts.

0:37:130:37:16

Mo and Helen hope to find Tania

0:37:160:37:18

by tracking where she's spending money.

0:37:180:37:21

On the 11th of February, she purchased some Eurostar tickets.

0:37:210:37:25

Oh, my gosh. Yeah.

0:37:250:37:26

And it looks like she left the country on the evening on the 11th.

0:37:260:37:31

On the 12th, she was booking herself...

0:37:310:37:34

-In a hotel.

-..into the hotel in Paris.

0:37:340:37:36

So when she was due in court on the 13th,

0:37:360:37:39

-she'd already left the country.

-She was in Paris.

0:37:390:37:41

She was already in Paris. You can see then her other transactions

0:37:410:37:45

are in Paris as well.

0:37:450:37:48

And she's moving onwards and then as of the 17th of March 2015...

0:37:480:37:54

Brussels.

0:37:540:37:56

..she's booking herself into the Sheraton in Brussels.

0:37:560:38:00

£294.96.

0:38:000:38:03

-INTERVIEWER:

-You're never going to see her again, are you?

0:38:030:38:06

SHE EXHALES

0:38:060:38:08

There's an arrest warrant out for her.

0:38:080:38:11

It's not quite over yet.

0:38:110:38:13

Tania Amisi has fled to Belgium.

0:38:130:38:15

Julie Smith isn't going anywhere.

0:38:240:38:26

She's standing her ground to fight the claims made against her.

0:38:260:38:30

I've got my case statement. I'm not guilty of anything.

0:38:300:38:34

What they're saying I'm guilty of, I'm not.

0:38:340:38:37

But if she wants to stay out of court,

0:38:370:38:40

she needs to persuade her investigators.

0:38:400:38:42

This is what's on the sofa and it's all cans - empty cans of beer.

0:38:440:38:48

There's nothing to indicate anyone was ever there.

0:38:480:38:51

Ruth is reviewing the evidence taken from Julie Smith's council flat.

0:38:510:38:56

She's called her in for an interview under caution to give her a chance

0:38:560:39:00

-to explain herself.

-Want to go, John?

0:39:000:39:03

Bring your new pad!

0:39:030:39:05

"Spot the cheat" - the new pad.

0:39:050:39:07

I'm looking forward to what the inventiveness is, aren't you?

0:39:090:39:11

I think she's just trying to front it

0:39:110:39:14

and say that she was staying there all the time

0:39:140:39:16

and we've got it all wrong.

0:39:160:39:17

-Yeah, we always get it wrong, us council workers(!)

-Who knows?

0:39:170:39:21

On advice from her lawyer and the council,

0:39:210:39:24

Julie has asked us only to film the investigators,

0:39:240:39:27

so she can concentrate fully on the interview.

0:39:270:39:30

-JULIE:

-In May, I found out my ex escaped from prison.

0:39:300:39:35

He's an armed robber, he's violent.

0:39:350:39:37

-I knew he'd come looking for me.

-But you removed all your clothing...

0:39:370:39:40

No, no, not everything. But lots of stuff, lots of stuff.

0:39:400:39:44

Tell me the stuff that you took. You're in a rush now...

0:39:440:39:48

Loads of clothes. Yes, loads of clothes.

0:39:480:39:50

I didn't take no toiletries or anything like that.

0:39:500:39:52

Questions turn to the cannabis-growing equipment

0:39:520:39:55

found in Julie's flat.

0:39:550:39:56

These have been used for cultivating cannabis plants.

0:39:560:40:00

That must have been in the hall cupboard. They weren't under my bed, or anything.

0:40:000:40:03

Why are you saying to us they must have been in the hall cupboard, why are you saying that?

0:40:030:40:07

Because it was jam-packed with all rubbish.

0:40:070:40:08

If that is why the other room was stripped out and empty,

0:40:080:40:11

because you were going to set up another cannabis factory...?

0:40:110:40:13

JULIE LAUGHS

0:40:130:40:15

-..in that address?

-Oh, my God! What do you mean, "Another one?"

0:40:150:40:17

I've never... I wouldn't even know how to do it!

0:40:170:40:19

There was a load found at Colchester Road, wasn't there?

0:40:190:40:22

-Yes, but it had nothing to do with me.

-I wasn't there, but I've been told.

0:40:220:40:25

He didn't get done for anything like that,

0:40:250:40:27

-he just got done for possession.

-OK.

0:40:270:40:28

The investigators also found documents that suggest Julie

0:40:280:40:32

has moved into the house of her boyfriend, Neil.

0:40:320:40:35

-Have you got a Debenhams account?

-Yes, I have.

0:40:350:40:38

And where do the bills go for that?

0:40:380:40:41

Erm, probably...

0:40:410:40:43

-..to Neil's.

-Do you have a Santander bank account?

-Yes.

0:40:440:40:48

Well, you've told them that your address is Neil's address.

0:40:480:40:51

Probably to be able to get a loan because I couldn't...

0:40:510:40:54

-Well, not credit...

-Oh, right.

0:40:540:40:57

Are you telling us, if I've got this right,

0:40:570:40:59

are you telling us that you would tell a bank false information

0:40:590:41:03

to get a loan, is that what you are saying?

0:41:030:41:05

I just want to be clear on this.

0:41:050:41:07

You're pulling a face, but what does that mean?

0:41:070:41:09

-Probably at the time, yeah.

-So it's yes?

-Yeah.

0:41:090:41:11

It's not my prime home though, my home is Dryden Towers.

0:41:110:41:15

-It's not your address, Julie.

-Isn't it?!

-No.

-OK!

0:41:150:41:18

-It's the address you're getting benefit from.

-OK! Whatever.

0:41:180:41:20

-You prove that.

-All right, then.

0:41:200:41:23

I agreed to the interview. I said, "Yes, I'll come and have an interview"

0:41:230:41:26

And I agreed to that. I didn't have to go.

0:41:260:41:28

And I wish I hadn't now.

0:41:280:41:30

Yeah, we've got some more enquires to make.

0:41:300:41:32

She's adamant that she lives there.

0:41:320:41:34

-I think it's a story that fits the facts...

-Yeah.

-..for her.

0:41:340:41:37

If I can put it like that.

0:41:370:41:39

Over the coming weeks, they'll investigate

0:41:390:41:42

everything Julie told them, before deciding whether to prosecute her.

0:41:420:41:47

In Staffordshire, another woman is fighting to save her reputation.

0:41:540:41:58

Patricia Ward is one of the 3.5 million people in Britain

0:41:590:42:04

claiming disability benefits.

0:42:040:42:06

I just love driving. I suppose I inherited that from my father,

0:42:060:42:10

because my father was a lorry driver.

0:42:100:42:13

Whenever I was off on school holidays, I was out with me dad.

0:42:130:42:17

And I just love vehicles.

0:42:170:42:20

She got a job as a school minibus driver,

0:42:200:42:23

picking up and dropping off schoolchildren twice a day.

0:42:230:42:26

I enjoyed the pupils.

0:42:270:42:29

Once you're out on the road, you're more or less your own boss.

0:42:290:42:33

'I come from an old work ethic.

0:42:330:42:35

'You don't give up work until they screw you in that box.'

0:42:350:42:39

The problem is, she's given the government a very different story.

0:42:390:42:44

She's told them she can't see in one eye and can't grip properly -

0:42:440:42:49

needs so serious she's qualified for nearly £100 a month in benefits

0:42:490:42:54

and a free mobility car, awarded for life.

0:42:540:42:57

I'd be concerned if one of my children

0:42:590:43:01

were actually on that minibus, shall we say.

0:43:010:43:05

Following a tip-off that Patricia is driving for a living,

0:43:050:43:09

Lisa Prince has been investigating her disability claim.

0:43:090:43:12

There we go, there it is. She said that she's got arthritis.

0:43:120:43:16

She can't grip anything... Now, that rings alarm bells for me.

0:43:160:43:21

Patricia's benefits were awarded based on claim forms she filled out.

0:43:210:43:26

On these forms, backed by a letter from her doctor,

0:43:260:43:29

she says she can't do even the most basic tasks.

0:43:290:43:33

The fact that she's driving a minibus and she can't grip anything,

0:43:330:43:37

you know, in terms of the steering wheel...

0:43:370:43:39

It goes into detail about her vision as well,

0:43:390:43:42

and that she has difficulty seeing oncoming vehicles.

0:43:420:43:46

I haven't lied about my disabilities,

0:43:480:43:50

I haven't lied about the fact that I am in a lot of pain...

0:43:500:43:55

..but maybe people aren't looking at that,

0:43:560:43:58

because they're just seeing the other side of the picture, that I worked.

0:43:580:44:01

You can work and claim DLA, and Patricia felt her health conditions

0:44:010:44:06

warranted help from the state.

0:44:060:44:08

'I've got fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis of the knee...'

0:44:080:44:13

This is the sexy wear!

0:44:130:44:15

'Then it left me with drop foot and a leg that drags,'

0:44:150:44:19

so I'd trip and fall for no reason.

0:44:190:44:22

'You know, I can't do it on my own. It's debilitating.'

0:44:220:44:26

And the things I've lost doing, I enjoy doing.

0:44:260:44:29

And it's things like missing out on going to the seaside

0:44:290:44:32

with your grandchildren, because, you know,

0:44:320:44:36

I can't get on the sand... Beach with my chair.

0:44:360:44:40

Patricia maintains that her life is severely restricted by her health,

0:44:400:44:45

but Lisa's visited Patricia's workplace

0:44:450:44:48

and found a different side to the story.

0:44:480:44:50

She hadn't disclosed any disabilities.

0:44:500:44:52

As far as they were concerned,

0:44:520:44:54

she was one of the more reliable drivers at the school.

0:44:540:44:57

They never observed her using any walking aids,

0:44:570:44:59

something which stated she constantly used on a regular basis.

0:44:590:45:04

They observed her getting into and out of a minibus

0:45:040:45:06

without any difficulty.

0:45:060:45:08

I got a letter through the door

0:45:080:45:09

to say I've got to go to a fraud investigation interview.

0:45:090:45:14

I thought at the time, "Oh, you know, don't worry, go.

0:45:140:45:17

"You'll sort it out, you'll explain everything, you'll be fine."

0:45:170:45:21

'Tell me, how do you change the gears on a minibus?'

0:45:250:45:28

'So you push it?'

0:45:320:45:34

'It's just that you said you haven't got any grip.'

0:45:350:45:38

'What about when you're having to turn the steering wheel?'

0:45:380:45:42

'Right, OK. Because you also said that you've got loss of sensation

0:45:460:45:49

'in your right side as well.'

0:45:490:45:51

'Yeah. But you still can manage to...'

0:45:530:45:55

To me, it was harrowing.

0:46:010:46:03

I would say it's the worst day of my life.

0:46:030:46:06

All I envisaged was prison and the door being slammed.

0:46:060:46:09

That thought terrified me.

0:46:110:46:13

Following the interview, Patricia quit her job

0:46:130:46:17

and pleaded guilty to £35,000 worth of fraud.

0:46:170:46:21

Next week, she'll be sentenced

0:46:210:46:24

and faces the very real possibility of going to prison.

0:46:240:46:28

In London, Tania Amisi should be having her day in court.

0:46:310:46:35

Instead, she's skipped bail and fled to Belgium.

0:46:350:46:39

It's been decided to put her on trial in her absence.

0:46:390:46:43

The prosecution is going to present its case to the jurors

0:46:430:46:48

and the defence will do his best to defend her.

0:46:480:46:51

Mo and Helen think they've found Tania's address in Belgium

0:46:510:46:55

and the trial is part of a plan to bring her to justice.

0:46:550:46:59

If she's found guilty in her absence,

0:46:590:47:01

then we can get a European warrant and then bring her back.

0:47:010:47:04

You know, she wants to stick two fingers up at everybody

0:47:040:47:06

by leaving the country before her trial, so I think, yeah,

0:47:060:47:10

there are the occasional cases where you do feel a bit more determined

0:47:100:47:15

that they face justice.

0:47:150:47:17

She's shown no remorse, and she lacks any contrition.

0:47:170:47:20

Nothing. There is just nothing there.

0:47:200:47:22

She just didn't care.

0:47:220:47:23

The trial, which would have normally taken three weeks, lasts four days.

0:47:270:47:32

Oh, God!

0:47:350:47:37

All done.

0:47:370:47:39

We've had the verdict - it was unanimous.

0:47:390:47:43

She was guilty on all counts.

0:47:430:47:44

She's been convicted of 17 counts of housing benefit fraud,

0:47:440:47:49

nearly £250,000 stolen from the public purse -

0:47:490:47:54

enough to put her away for five years.

0:47:540:47:57

I've applied for what's called a European arrest warrant

0:47:570:48:00

and that means that the warrant will be sent to the Belgian authorities

0:48:000:48:04

and, hopefully, she will be arrested in the near future.

0:48:040:48:07

Just a bit of a waiting game, but hopefully

0:48:070:48:08

we won't have to wait too long once we get the warrant circulated.

0:48:080:48:13

Best girl in the world.

0:48:180:48:21

One of them, anyway.

0:48:210:48:23

Julie Smith and her dad are on their way to court.

0:48:230:48:26

The council has decided to prosecute her for fraud.

0:48:260:48:30

I've done nothing wrong.

0:48:310:48:33

I've proven that I've done nothing wrong

0:48:330:48:35

and I'm hoping that, you know, I'm going to get not guilty.

0:48:350:48:38

I may be guilty of not being there from...

0:48:380:48:40

From May till October, but I've more than a good reason for that...

0:48:400:48:45

You know, for me not being there.

0:48:450:48:47

Put it this way, if you was in the house

0:48:470:48:50

where somebody had come on previous occasions and stabbed your dog

0:48:500:48:54

-in front of your baby...

-And beat me up.

-And beat...

0:48:540:48:57

-I was chased up the road by a fellow with a big knife.

-Yeah.

0:48:570:49:00

And I don't want to be in the same house where that man who knows

0:49:000:49:03

where I live and he's going to come and look for me.

0:49:030:49:06

That's why I wasn't at my flat.

0:49:060:49:07

It was only for six months and I've told them that

0:49:070:49:10

I wasn't there for six months, and that's the only reason.

0:49:100:49:13

The suggestion she was planning to grow cannabis

0:49:150:49:17

in the flat has been dropped.

0:49:170:49:19

She's being charged with failing to notify the council

0:49:190:49:22

that she had moved.

0:49:220:49:24

Barrister Neil Ross is prosecuting for the council.

0:49:270:49:30

The overpayment alleged is just short of £20,000.

0:49:320:49:37

What that means is that when one looks at the sentencing guidelines,

0:49:370:49:41

the starting point will be in and around 36 weeks' prison,

0:49:410:49:45

so one is potentially is facing a custodial sentence... Serious.

0:49:450:49:49

This is her defence.

0:49:490:49:50

She was running away from this ex-boyfriend who was violent.

0:49:500:49:53

I had a look online, he had escaped.

0:49:530:49:55

Yeah, it's the truth. I've got a statement from the police officer.

0:49:550:49:58

Paul Oddysses, Julie's boyfriend,

0:49:580:50:00

was on the run for three months

0:50:000:50:02

before he was recaptured by the police.

0:50:020:50:05

And you've already been alerted by the police that he's escaped.

0:50:050:50:09

He certainly made contact with you.

0:50:090:50:12

It certainly explains why you would pack up everything and go and stay,

0:50:120:50:16

-you know, either with your current partner, with a family friend...

-JULIE:

-Anybody.

0:50:160:50:20

..or anyone and avoid going to the property.

0:50:200:50:23

There is no dispute about that as a background.

0:50:230:50:26

What's relevant is, as far as this case is concerned, is whether that,

0:50:260:50:30

in fact, is what drove her decision

0:50:300:50:31

about where she was living or not,

0:50:310:50:34

or if that was used as...

0:50:340:50:38

As an explanation after the fact to help bolster her defence.

0:50:380:50:43

The council says Julie told the bank and insurance companies that she had

0:50:450:50:49

moved out of the council flat well before her boyfriend escaped.

0:50:490:50:53

-TANNOY:

-All parties in the case of Smith to court five, please.

0:50:560:50:59

-All parties...

-We'd better go in.

-Come on, honey.

0:50:590:51:03

-Thank you.

-All right?

0:51:030:51:04

The case lasts for two days.

0:51:100:51:12

The jury is out for a few hours.

0:51:120:51:15

-INTERVIEWER:

-What's happened?

-Liars have won.

-Unbelievable.

0:51:150:51:18

They think she's a sponger.

0:51:180:51:20

She's never been a sponger in her life.

0:51:200:51:22

I'm shocked. I am totally shocked by what they've said.

0:51:220:51:25

You can be proven guilty for being innocent.

0:51:250:51:27

Yeah, well, you have. That's what they've done.

0:51:270:51:29

They've done you for nothing.

0:51:290:51:31

I had every bit of evidence I needed to prove elsewhere

0:51:310:51:34

and they still come up with the guilty.

0:51:340:51:37

Julie gets a six-month suspended sentence,

0:51:370:51:40

180 hours of community service, and is evicted from her flat.

0:51:400:51:45

Well, obviously, I'm gutted about my flat,

0:51:450:51:47

because I've had it years and years and that was...

0:51:470:51:49

You know, I loved my flat.

0:51:490:51:51

But they obviously saw it that I didn't and they've got it wrong.

0:51:510:51:55

All I can do now is try and better myself.

0:51:550:51:58

It's a new start now. You know where you're going, and that's it.

0:51:580:52:02

Julie is out and the council have their property back.

0:52:040:52:08

-Right, are you ready?

-Yeah.

-It's the fear of the unknown again.

0:52:150:52:19

Not knowing what's going to happen when I get to court.

0:52:190:52:23

Over in Staffordshire, it's judgment day for Patricia Ward.

0:52:230:52:27

She pleaded guilty to £35,000 worth of benefit fraud

0:52:270:52:32

and faces possible jail time.

0:52:320:52:34

Get my purse out, get my money out. I'll pay for diesel.

0:52:360:52:40

Just guide me out. I can't see.

0:52:420:52:45

I'm hoping they come out with probation, for the family, you know,

0:52:480:52:53

because of the family situation at home.

0:52:530:52:56

But I've just got to wait and see.

0:52:590:53:02

'She knows that what she's done was completely wrong

0:53:020:53:06

'and she's gone guilty at the earliest opportunity as well.'

0:53:060:53:10

So have I got any sympathy for her? No, I haven't.

0:53:100:53:13

You get quite hardened, I think, to this job.

0:53:130:53:15

Some of them tend to play the act out until the bitter end.

0:53:150:53:19

So I wouldn't be surprised today if she does bring her elbow crutch

0:53:190:53:23

or walking stick into court

0:53:230:53:25

just to try and get some sympathy from the judge.

0:53:250:53:30

Am I going too fast for you in this?

0:53:300:53:34

I tend to leave people behind.

0:53:340:53:36

Are you all right? Yeah, nine months...suspended.

0:53:470:53:51

Suspended!

0:53:510:53:53

Damn! Suspended for 12.

0:53:530:53:57

She nearly went, she nearly went.

0:53:570:54:00

-INTERVIEWER:

-How do you feel?

0:54:000:54:03

Still a little bit angry at the fact

0:54:030:54:05

that no medical evidence was ever taken into consideration.

0:54:050:54:10

You know, it was just seen that I'd lied all the way along,

0:54:100:54:12

when I hadn't.

0:54:120:54:15

Or, you know, the fact that I had to dope myself up

0:54:150:54:18

with that many painkillers to operate.

0:54:180:54:22

Patricia hasn't given up on her benefits.

0:54:220:54:25

Whilst she's guilty of fraud for this claim,

0:54:250:54:28

she's now applied for another form of support.

0:54:280:54:31

She's been awarded personal independent payments,

0:54:310:54:34

which has replaced DLA benefits, and she's been awarded it

0:54:340:54:38

since August 2014, which was the month I actually interviewed her

0:54:380:54:42

under caution for DLA offences.

0:54:420:54:46

As Lisa cancelled one, Patricia applied for and was given

0:54:460:54:50

another disability benefit, but this time on a lower rate.

0:54:500:54:55

'She's been given a three-year reward.'

0:54:550:54:57

Nearly £76 a week.

0:54:570:54:59

I guess the only saving grace with this case now

0:54:590:55:01

is that she will be reviewed,

0:55:010:55:04

whereas before her DLA was an indefinite award.

0:55:040:55:08

All people claiming the new disability benefit

0:55:080:55:11

will now have regular checks.

0:55:110:55:13

Bringing Tania Amisi back to Britain for sentencing hasn't gone smoothly.

0:55:180:55:22

Despite all the hard work,

0:55:240:55:26

it takes weeks for the warrant to be processed.

0:55:260:55:30

In that time, Tania moves on.

0:55:300:55:32

We've done some research, used some investigators to have a dig

0:55:370:55:40

-to see what we could find on the internet, effectively.

-OK.

0:55:400:55:43

I want to show you some of the stuff that we've found.

0:55:430:55:46

So, Tania...

0:55:460:55:49

# Hello, can you hear me?

0:55:490:55:54

# I'm in California... #

0:55:540:55:56

Oh, it makes me feel sick. Honestly, it makes me feel sick.

0:55:560:56:01

# When we were younger... #

0:56:010:56:03

We think that shows her two places -

0:56:030:56:05

in Istanbul, Turkey, and back in the Congo.

0:56:050:56:10

And putting stuff like this on her Facebook page...

0:56:110:56:15

She's very bold. I just...

0:56:150:56:17

I just can't believe it. She's teasing us.

0:56:170:56:21

She's saying, "Well, look, here I am, and I'm still doing what I do."

0:56:210:56:25

We've done all that we can do and the rest is up to the police

0:56:250:56:28

and the rest of the justice system, over which we have no control.

0:56:280:56:31

Tania Amisi only came to the attention of the authorities

0:56:310:56:34

-because she was arrested for something else.

-That's right.

0:56:340:56:37

-You would never have known about her.

-No.

0:56:370:56:39

So how many other Tania Amisis are out there

0:56:390:56:42

doing the sort of fraud that she's up to?

0:56:420:56:43

There could be hundreds.

0:56:430:56:46

But Tania was convicted and she's on the run.

0:56:460:56:50

One slip-up and she'll go to jail.

0:56:500:56:53

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