A shameless con man and woman have been jailed for ripping off support meant for Grenfell Tower fire victims.
Elaine Douglas, 51, and Tommy Brooks, 52—both homeless—admitted lying about living on the 19th floor of Grenfell Tower on the night of the June 14, 2017 fire. They claimed they stayed with friends during the tragedy and scammed authorities for hotel housing and cash handouts.
Douglas pocketed a staggering £67,125.35 while Brooks claimed £58,396.89 in support payments.
After investigations, police uncovered their entire story was a lie. Neither had ever lived at Grenfell Tower.
Both were arrested on May 1 and charged the following day. On July 13, the pair were sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court. Douglas received three years in prison, and Brooks was sentenced to three years and three months behind bars.
Detective Superintendent Matt Bonner condemned their actions as “truly appalling” and said they exploited aid meant for genuine victims. “My thoughts remain with the Grenfell community… who should be at the heart of all we do,” he added.
The sentencing judge described the scam as “a parasitic fraud in the wake of a human catastrophe.”
Originally published by UKNIP.
