Dad claimed benefits ‘while held by rebels in Syria’
A FATHER-OF-TWO was paid more than £10,000 in benefits, while he was a hostage in Syria.
Bashar Souliman admitted receiving the sum in employment support allowance, housing benefit and child tax credits in 2014. But investigators discovered he was in war-torn Homs for 10 months that year, a court heard. Souliman, 49, said he travelled to Syria in January to visit family in a refugee camp. But the pizza shop worker claims he was then snatched by rebels and held for 10 months.
Magistrates in Birmingham were told he was freed in October 2014 after a ransom was paid.
When he returned to the UK he was quizzed by anti-fraud investigators acting on a tip-off. Souliman, then in Birmingham, admitted illegally pocketing the benefits.
The court heard all the offences happened while he was in Syria – the country of his birth.
Souliman, who now lives in Durham, was jailed for 28 weeks.