Croydon: An asylum seeker housing officer in charge of checking claimants' stories in Croydon has been jailed for two years for indecently assaulting one of his clients.

Israel Nwagagbo was found guilty of indecently assaulting the 40-year-old women on November 22 but was sentenced at Croydon Crown Court last Thursday (December 13).

He was also given an extended two-year licence to run after he has served his prison term and has been put on the Sex Offenders' Register.

Nwagagbo, a 40-year-old from Wembley Park in north London, was found guilty of assaulting the 40-year-old woman on an unofficial visit last January 3.

He had visited the woman to talk about her application for financial help but then sexually assaulted her before exposing himself and carrying out an indecent act. Nwagagbo pleaded not guilty to the offence and denied the claim that he quizzed her about her private life, exposed himself or touched her.

But during his trial it was revealed the defendant had a previous conviction for a similar offence. He later admitted he had already been found guilty of indecent exposure.

Nwagagbo had been employed by Croydon Council, through an employment agency, in the corporate asylum seekers services department to visit claimants and check their circumstances were genuine. A spokesman from Croydon Council had said although the man worked for them, they were not responsible for checking his background and references. This was undertaken by the employment agency.

The spokesman said: "As soon as the allegation was made we stopped his em ployment with us. As a result of this we started our own vetting procedures on all members of staff, regardless of whether they have been employed via an agency."

Bromley-based recruitment company Hays Montrose, who supplied Nwagagbo to Croydon Council, declined to comment on the issue.

December 20, 2001 12:30