Man denies pretending family died in Grenfell Tower fire

A man has denied pretending his family died in the Grenfell Tower fire to get almost £10,000 from the victims’ relief fund.

Anh Nhu Nguyen, 52, pleaded not guilty to two counts of fraud by false representation at Southwark crown court in London on Friday.

Nguyen, of Beckenham, south-east London, claimed that he lived in the North Kensington block and his wife and son had died in the blaze, a previous court hearing was told.

He is accused of conning charities and Kensington and Chelsea council out of almost £10,000 by posing as a victim of the disaster for almost two weeks.

Nguyen was allegedly given a hotel room, clothing, food, electrical items and cash after he went to Westway Sports and Fitness Centre, which had been set up as a relief hub after the fire, claiming to have lost all his possessions, Westminster magistrates court heard last month.

Nguyen, who is not believed to be married or have children, was remanded in custody. His trial is scheduled to start the week beginning 4 December.

Jonathan Polnay, prosecuting, told magistrates last month that Nguyen attended the centre twice to receive help after the blaze.

“He said he lost his wife, his child and all of his worldly possessions,” Polnay said. “He was given £100 in cash at that stage. He attended the following day, he repeated that claim and was given £260.

“He was then given by the council accommodation at the Holiday Inn. Current bill, I think, just over £2,000.”

On his second visit, Polnay said, Nguyen applied for the £5,000 made available by the government. “Police officers were sent because he was being treated as a victim. It was when they spoke to him in more detail, we say, this fraud unravelled.

“Having regard to the sums involved, we respectfully submit it’s a figure approaching £10,000. In addition, he was also given food [and] clothing in quite large amounts by various charities.”

While the final death toll remains unknown, 80 people are confirmed to have been killed in the Grenfell fire, which devastated the 24-storey building on 14 June. Many more were left homeless.

On Thursday, it emerged that the Scotland Yard investigation into the fire had concluded there were “reasonable grounds” to suspect the local council, Kensington and Chelsea, and the organisation that managed the tower block of corporate manslaughter.

The Guardian has also learned that about 70 high-rise residential blocks have failed fire safety tests carried out after the blaze.