AN arrest warrant has been issued to find a man accused of claiming council housing and tax relief despite owning a £300,000 home in southern Spain.

Terry Eintracht is accused of three counts of fraud by false representation, however failed to appear at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court for a hearing yesterday.

It is alleged that between October 2017 and September 2018, Eintracht, who’s care of address in the UK was given as Berberis Walk, Colchester, lied on a series of forms in order to receive benefits from Braintree Council.

Laura Austin, prosecuting on behalf of the council, said: “He is somebody who normally resides in Spain.

“What is alleged is that he fraudulently declared to Braintree Council he is homeless and made an application for council tax support.

“On the back of that he owns his own property to the value of £300,000 in Spain.

“This was not declared and he was provided with housing and council tax support.”

Eintracht allegedly received £558 in council tax support he was not entitled to.

Braintree Council also says the home, in Sible Hedingham, which was made available to him required funding spent on it before it was deemed suitable.

Ms Austin said Eintracht, 63, is understood to spend most of his time living at his address in Benidoleig, a municipality in the Alicante area of Spain.

She asked magistrates to issue a warrant so Eintracht could be brought to face the courts.

“Summons was sent out not only by email but also to his care of address in the UK,” Ms Austin said.

“We are aware that the correspondence has been received because we have received a number of contacts from a friend of Eintracht.

“We were told he was undergoing surgery and would not be able to attend.

“I made contact via email to Mr Eintracht saying we would need a letter from a surgeon.

“The situation is he is not here which is not surprising bearing in mine the contact we have had.”

Magistrates agreed to issue a warrant for Eintracht’s arrest.