Former magazine editor turned socialite Farah Damji was sentenced to 15 months in prison by Blackfriars Crown Court on Friday morning.

She was remanded in custody on Thursday after a series of postponements which kept pushing back the date of the sentencing.

Damji was due to be in court as far back as July last year.

At the time, a court heard several charges against here:
1. She fraudulently claimed £17,000 worth of housing and council tax benefit and made false representations to Hammersmith and Fulham Council last year.

2. She also admitted to forging a Halifax Bank statement that was presented to letting agents ‘Lets’s Do Business’, and falsely claimed the name of an account holder into which benefits were deposited.

3. She admitted making false representations to landlords Alex and Alix Lentjes over their property in Shepherd’s Bush, and to landlord Benjamin Hutton over his property in Hammersmith last year. The episode left Mr Lentjes £7,685 out of pocket and with a damaged flat following her eviction on 3rd October 2008.

The list of charges was outlined on AIM here.

She was arrested for these charges on 27th October 2008 but it has taken more than a year for the sentencing to take place.

Judge Aidan Marron QC said that time she had spent remanded in custody would be taken into account.

He said while sentencing: “The level of dishonesty at every conceivable juncture is so persistent it’s the type of case I have never come across before.”

“This was a scheme dripping with dishonesty at every conceivable corner. She was not entitled to a penny on the information provided.”

The judge added: “You manipulated bank accounts so money came to you instead of your landlord and when your dishonesty was exposed you responded with more dishonesty and threats.”

Confiscation proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act are scheduled for later this year.

Before being taken back into custody Damji had been trying to promote her book – Try Me.

She held several book launches but failed to sign up a mainstream publisher to promote it. More than one person mentioned in the book told AIM Magazine it contained lies about them.