TV Apprentice Tre in court accused of benefits fraud

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Azam, 29, who came third in the 2007 series, is in court for claiming thousands of pounds in handouts while running his own consultancy firm.

He was unemployed in 2004 and lawfully received housing and tax benefits.

The business wannabe, who accused this year's contestants of lacking integrity, was paying rent on his £250,000 semi.

But investigators from Epping Forest council claim that between 2005 and 2006 he failed to disclose earnings he had made from his marketing consultancy firm IDMM.

They said he continued to falsely claim benefits of more than £7,500 and accused him of having two bank accounts in the names of family members, which he never informed them about.

Giles Atkinson, prosecuting, told Chelmsford magistrates the accounts "were in the names of his father and wife, but he had access".

Azam, from Loughton, denies failing to declare income and two accounts on a housing and tax benefit form and failing to reveal a change of circumstances.

The case is adjourned until Friday.