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LOUGHTON: Apprentice contestant in court for benefit fraud

5:25pm Monday 17th November 2008 in


FORMER Apprentice contestant Tre Azam appeared in court on Friday (November 14) charged with falsely claiming thousands of pounds in benefits.

The 29-year-old from Loughton, who appeared on the BBC reality television programme last year, was charged with failing to declare two bank accounts and income, on a housing and council tax benefit form.

He appeared at Witham Magistrates Court where his solicitors presented the case.

But the out-spoken father of two will have to wait until November 28 for the result to be given at Chelmsford Magistrates Court.

He was accused by Epping Forest District Council of claiming £8,686 of benefits after making a false statement on the form, and failing to notify them of a change in circumstances affecting his entitlement.

Mr Azam denied the charges and refused to comment on the case until it has finished.

He came third on The Apprentice last year and now runs a number of businesses, including his own production company.

Comments(6)

Bert Small says...
6:59pm Mon 17 Nov 08

Very enterprising young man.

Even if convicted, he will get very little punishment if the recent similar cases are anything to go by.

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dissenter 2008 says...
10:15am Tue 18 Nov 08

arrogant deluded toss pot

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rod stewarts gardener says...
4:28pm Fri 21 Nov 08

maybe the magistrate should ban him from going on TV ??! ..... Sugars "ORGANISATION" ...is moving to Loughton ... maybe they can hook up again....

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girlfromessex says...
5:37pm Fri 21 Nov 08

It doesn't matter to me who this story is about, Tre Azam or Fred Smith (apologies if that is your name). If people defraud the council they should get what they deserve - and should be made to pay back what they stole with interest, because they have stolen from honest people in their community who do pay their council taxes and who do not claim benefits they are not entitled to.

But, to go back to this case, Tre Azam has been charged, but not yet convicted of any crime. Perhaps we should wait until he has been convicted (if he is) before we start condemning him.

You see this happening far too often; people in the public eye are charged with an offence. The media presents the prosecution evidence if it were fact. Even if they the TV 'stars' are later found not guilty, people only remember the allegations - not what actually happened! Seems a tad unfair, somehow.

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rod stewarts gardener says...
4:04pm Sat 22 Nov 08

i agree with "a girl from essex", wait to see the cout case result ..but when you do choose to become a tv personailty ,,you have to expect , the press and the authorities, will start to chio away, at anything ,,,and defrauding the council, isnt that difficult,,,which may have been tempting for a conceited (or non conceited) INDIVIDUAL - this Individual has been rumooured to be marketing a brand of POPPADUMS.... maybe we will get to taste samples of these in M & S , Loughtn ??

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dissenter 2008 says...
10:54pm Sat 22 Nov 08

rod stewarts gardener wrote:
i agree with "a girl from essex", wait to see the cout case result ..but when you do choose to become a tv personailty ,,you have to expect , the press and the authorities, will start to chio away, at anything ,,,and defrauding the council, isnt that difficult,,,which may have been tempting for a conceited (or non conceited) INDIVIDUAL - this Individual has been rumooured to be marketing a brand of POPPADUMS.... maybe we will get to taste samples of these in M & S , Loughtn ??
i hope your gardening is better than your spelling, you illiterate idiot

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