Apprentice star made false claims

Tre Azam, 29, of Loughton, Essex, said he planned to appeal

One of the stars of BBC show The Apprentice has been convicted of falsely claiming housing benefits.

Tre Azam, 29, of Loughton, Essex, who finished third in the 2007 series of Sir Alan Sugar's show, was sentenced to 80 hours' community service.

Chelmsford magistrates found him guilty of having undeclared income, an undeclared change in circumstances and not declaring a bank account.

Azam called the prosecution by Epping Forest Council "disgusting".

He said he planned to appeal against the judgment.

The case relates to housing benefits Azam received between July 2004 and July 2006.

I didn't cheat anyone and I never intended to Tre Azam

Following the hearing Azam said he needed the cash to support his wife and child after his relatives moved to Pakistan following the collapse of the family business.

Charges were brought against him by Epping council fraud squad because his father had paid bills for him while he was on benefits, including food, mobile phone calls and car insurance.

Azam said he had not done anything wrong and a council investigator had told him that it was not an offence to get financial support from his family.

He added: "I think it's disgusting to be honest. I'm shocked because we were waiting to be cleared. I didn't cheat anyone and I never intended to.

"All I wanted was to get a little help off my family. I wanted to be a standard part of the community.

"I have become a very good example case of the council."

He continued: "I do an incredible amount of voluntary work already, which I am now going to reconsider. I do a lot of work in schools.

"All I did was get myself off benefits. Not cheat a system. We're not a benefit-reliant family. That is why I find it so frustrating."