Windsor publican prosecuted after trying to 'jump the queue' for social housing

A publican from Windsor has pleaded guilty to committing fraud after making a false statement on a housing register application.

Zoe Mayo, 47, also known as Zoe Cekalla, landlady of The Trooper Pub, in St Leonard's Road, was accused of making a false statement on a Royal Borough local housing register application with the intention of trying to gain high priority for social housing.

She said she was living in Elm Road, Windsor, with a man who was not a relative of the family, which she claimed was not suitable accommodation for her and her children.

However, the Royal Borough's corporate investigation team discovered that this was not a true account of Mayo's circumstances and that she was attempting to gain an unfair priority over genuine applications for social housing.

Mayo appeared at Slough Magistrates' Court on Friday  where she was given a conditional discharge for 18 months and was ordered to pay costs of £200.

Cllr David Coppinger, cabinet member for adult services and health including housing, said: "False applications of this kind – in an attempt to try and jump the queue and cheat others who have waited patiently – will not be tolerated by the Royal Borough and those who flout the law will be prosecuted."

Contact the council's Beat the Cheat line 0500 353300 to report suspected fraud.