A council tenant who illegally sub-let her property to private tenants for over a year, has been ordered by a court to pay back the profit she made.

It was the first time that Newham Council has used new legislation which makes sub-letting of council homes a criminal offence.

Temitayo Adesokan, 40, was discovered to be sub-letting the two-bedroom property to a family of four.

Her tenants stopped paying rent when they found she did not own the property and she started possession proceedings against them.

Newham council allowed her to continue with these proceedings to ensure swift recovery of the property at minimal cost to the local authority.

Adesokan was ordered by Bow County Court to pay back the £6,932 profit she made from illegally sub-letting the council property, plus £724 court costs.