A COMPANY director who fraudulently claimed more than £21,000 in housing benefit and council tax has avoided prison.

Abdul Hannan, aged 49, told Bromley Council he was employed part time on a low income when he was actually a director of a company and his wife was employed full time.

Hannan, of Imperial Way, Chislehurst, claimed a total of £21,350 in housing benefit and council tax between October 2007 and July last year, but was caught out when the council did a data check.

He was sentenced at Croydon Crown Court after pleading guilty to benefit fraud and was given a 12 month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

Hannan was also ordered to do 200 hours community service, and is currently repaying the money he falsely claimed.