THREE fraudsters who lived like “parasites” off almost £55,000 of falsely claimed benefits have been spared jail.

Brothers Reggie, 47, Olga, 42, and Jessie Gnanaratnam, 49, claimed housing benefit from three London boroughs while secretly owning property.

They invented fictional landlords when filling in claim forms for Brent Council, Harrow Council and Ealing Council, but were rumbled after a joint investigation by the three authorities.

Reggie was given a 12-month suspended sentence and slapped with 200 hours community service at Harrow Crown Court on Friday, while Jesse received a nine-month suspended sentence and 150 hours community service.

Olga was handed an eight-month suspended sentence with 150 hours community service and the trio between them were ordered to pay £55,000 in costs.

They may still face efforts to reclaim more money from them under legislation designed to prevent criminals making money out of crime.

Councillor Muhammed Butt, responsible for resources at Brent Council, said: “This was a scam by a family driven by greed to steal cash from honest taxpayers to finance their lavish lifestyle.

“Benefit thieves like these are parasites living off our community.

"Housing benefit should go to those people in real need and not to property owning fraudsters."

Reggie and Jessie owned their property in Fulwood Avenue, Wembley, but Jessie claimed housing benefit there using details of a fictional landlord.

He later moved to Harrow, living in Warwick Avenue and Holyrood Avenue, and in both cases claimed cash from the council without declaring his part ownership of his Wembley home.

The brothers then moved their three other siblings, John, Mary and Bridget, into Fulwood Avenue, where they claimed benefits using a fictitious landlord.

The siblings then moved to Hastings Road, in Ealing, to a property owned by Olga Gnanaratnam and again applied for housing benefit using a fictional landlord.

Councillor Graham Henson, responsible for performance, customer services and corporate services at Harrow Council, said: “People who purposefully set out to claim benefits they are not entitled are stealing out of the pockets of honest taxpayers and snatching money away from vulnerable people who need our help.”