A man who falsely claimed to be a football coach at Queen’s Park Rangers and a victim of domestic abuse to secure council housing has been sentenced after pleading guilty to eight counts of fraud following an investigation by Barnet Council.
Travonn St Leonce submitted fake payslips and doctored bank statements to support his housing application.
He claimed he had been made homeless due to domestic abuse, which would have placed him in priority need and allowed him to bypass the usual five-year connection requirement to the borough.
As a result of his false claims, Barnet Council provided temporary accommodation at a cost of £2,078.
However, council investigators later found that the property he claimed to have been forced out of was actually rented solely in his name. The tenancy had been voluntarily ended in January 2024, and landlords confirmed no one else was listed on the tenancy agreement.
Had St Leonce disclosed that he had voluntarily ended his tenancy in Hemel Hempstead, he would have been deemed intentionally homeless and therefore ineligible for housing assistance.
In court, he admitted that he had never worked for QPR but had falsified payslips to show he was employed there, which he believed would help his housing claim. He admitted that the application itself was false.
He was sentenced at Willesden Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 30 September, receiving a 12-month Community Order with 15 days of Rehabilitation Activity Requirement and 180 hours of unpaid work.
He was also ordered to pay £2,078 in compensation and £2,000 towards prosecution costs.
Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Homes & Regeneration, Cllr Ross Houston, said: “This was a calculated attempt to exploit a system designed to protect the most vulnerable. Domestic abuse is an incredibly serious issue, and it is deeply troubling when someone fabricates such claims for personal gain.
“I want to thank our officers for their diligence in uncovering the truth and protecting public funds. Barnet Council remains committed to ensuring that support reaches those who genuinely need it.”
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