London pavement fall claim man faces fraud charges
A man who sued several London councils over claims he injured himself tripping and falling on pavements has appeared in court charged with fraud.
Nathan Williams, 38, said he suffered face, knee, foot and groin injuries in falls over a 17-month period.
But after an inquiry involving several authorities and the police he was charged with eight counts of fraud.
Mr Williams, of Dean Street, Soho, is next due before City of Westminster magistrates on 1 September.
The court heard Mr Williams' first compensation claim was made after he claimed to have tripped on a broken footpath in Boleyn Road, Hackney, in November 2007.
Nine months later he told Hackney Council he was left with an injured hand and foot because of its negligence.
Mr Williams' second compensation claim was made after he alleged he tripped and hurt his knee in Muswell Hill Road, Haringey, in February 2008.
Three months later he claimed he tripped in Ormanton Road, Lewisham, fracturing his hip and bruising a testicle.
A week later Mr Williams said he tripped over broken paving stones near his home and broke his ankle.
In his fifth claim, Mr Williams alleged he hurt his hip in Taybridge Road, Wandsworth, in June.
On 22 June he claimed he had tripped and hurt his face in Whitechapel Road, Tower Hamlets.
The following day Mr Williams told Southwark Council he injured his face when he tripped and fell in London Road, Elephant and Castle.
His final claim was for tripping on "raised ironwork" in Woolwich Road, Greenwich, on 28 June.