A benefit cheat ‘with access to millions of pounds’ has been jailed.

Syed Ali, 60, told the council he had no income or savings when he claimed housing benefit and council tax benefit for nearly two years.

But he was from an extremely wealthy family in Pakistan.

He was named as the director of at least 10 companies and had access to several bank accounts, both  in his own  and company names, at least one of which contained millions of pounds.

One of his directorships, Habib Avli Investments, bought the Adams chain of childrens’ wear shops in September 2009.

Yet between January 2009 and December 2010, Ali pocketed almost £10,722 in state handouts.

At Chester Crown Court Judge Roger Dutton said:  “I have never ever seen, in my many years experience, a case where a man claiming his income entitled him to benefits had access, through his family, to many millions of pounds.

“It makes what you were doing absolutely wicked.”

Sentencing Ali to eight months behind bars the judge said: “The reality was that whilst you may have been in a slightly embarrassed position you had access, in one way, or another, to millions of pounds.

“It is the most dishonest exercise taking money that the council can barely afford to put it in your own pocket.”

Ali, of Summerfields Court, Ringstead Close, Wilmslow, had admitted six counts of false representation at an earlier hearing.

Sarah O’Kane, prosecuting, said: “This is a case where he has failed to disclose the true nature of his lifestyle and possessions and this continued for a period of time.”

Martin Ford, defending, said Ali relied on money sent from his family in Pakistan to survive. At the time of claiming benefit he had fallen out with his family and they had stopped sending him money, which left him unable to pay his rent.

He said: “Once an application for benefits has been made it’s quite easy to maintain the dishonesty through omission.”

He denied his client had access to millions of pounds.

Mr Ford said: “He does not have the trappings of wealth you would assume from the prosecution case.

“He acts as a UK agent for his family – the money and power remains in Pakistan.”