Benefits cheat jailed and fined £360,000

A hairdresser who made fraudulent benefit claims for 18 years has been ordered to pay back £360,000 and jailed for a year.

Matilda Kwapong, 51, of Greenford, ran a hair salon and made £231,000 by sub-letting her council flat and £122,000 through another home's rising value while claiming housing benefit and council tax discounts.