A greedy businessman who cheated the benefits system out of £18,000 was today beginning a

21-month prison sentence.

A judge at Bradford Crown Court was told that 37-year-old father-of-three Shabir Ahmed claimed for income support, invalid care allowance and housing benefit.

But he was involved with various businesses including a pizza takeaway restaurant in Lawkholme Crescent, Keighley, a property redevelopment company called Pegasus and private hire taxi firm.

Ahmed, of Gain Lane, Thornbury, Bradford, admitted 53 offences of obtaining property by deception in October last year, but his sentence has been delayed because he later tried to change his guilty pleas.

The offences related to benefit claims between January 1998 and August 2001. As well as claiming to be unemployed, Ahmed also obtained housing benefit on the basis that his partner was his landlady and he was paying her rent to live at their then home in South Edge, Keighley.

He also claimed an allowance for looking after his father, although the prosecution suggested he would not have had time to because of his business commitments.

Ahmed, who now says he is unemployed and suffering from depression, maintained that he had no real involvement in the businesses.

The prosecution applied to confiscate £19,563.55 from him.

The Honorary Recorder of Bradford Judge Stephen Gullick warned him that failure to pay would result in a further period of 10 months in custody.

He also made an order that Ahmed should pay £10,000 towards the prosecution costs.

Afterwards investigating officer Robert Fell said Ahmed would be pursued for the confiscated amount even if he chose to serve the extra 10 months in jail.