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An asylum seeker who lived in a plush mansion claimed he took part in the riots to steal money for buying food (9 August 2012)

Date: 09/08/2012
Duncan Lewis, Legal News Solicitors, An asylum seeker who lived in a plush mansion claimed he took part in the riots to steal money for buying food

A serial offender who was part of a rampaging mob who terrorised the streets of Queensway and Notting Hill in West London on August 8 last year, looting, setting fire to two wheelers and buses, and attacking a high end restaurant was jailed along with 15 other gang members who laid siege to shops and businesses.
Nasir Muhsen, 18, had claimed that he joined the riots to steal money as he could not afford to buy even food.
But in reality Nasir Muhsen, 18, was living in a £3million apartment, funded by public money. He and his family were living in one of London’s most fashionable areas after they fled Iraq to claim asylum in Britain.
These details could be only revealed now after he was jailed yesterday.
Yesterday Muhsen was locked up for six and a half years at Inner London Crown Court after racking up what a judge called a ‘handsome record for violence’ after coming to Britain.
Showing sniping contempt for the judge and laughing as he walked to the cells he joked, saying that he wanted more and wanted to remain in prison.
The Mail has revealed that the Muhsen and his family had left the six-bedroom flat in a mess which stood in the grand Victorian mansion block in Kensington where they were housed by the council.
The property, if rented on the private market could fetch anywhere around £6,000 a month, had been refurbished before their arrival last year.
But by the time the family was evicted last Christmas for not paying their heavily subsidised rent to the council, it was in such a bad state that builders had to spend ten days on repairs.
One neighbour said that they were like animals. All the wardrobes were ripped out. It had been gutted. The windows were broken, the doors were off. It looked like it had been party central. People came and went all times of the night. They trashed it.’
Muhsen was living at the plush property with his mother and brothers at the time of the riots, yet his defence lawyer, had argued that he had no income; the money he took was to buy food.
Muhsen, who a month after the riots was jailed for another robbery, has convictions dating back to 2009.
He was given a youth rehabilitation order after being convicted of wounding and possession of an offensive weapon in 2010 and robbery in June 2011.

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