Family Feud Uncovers Massive Housing Benefit Fraud involving Snooker Star's Mother A dispute over a five hundred thousand pound family home in Essex has led a judge to uncover a nineteen-year benefit fraud totaling over two hundred thousand pounds. The legal proceedings at the Central London County Court have culminated in a shocking revelation regarding the family of world number thirty-seven snooker player Matthew Selt. What began as a bitter family dispute over the ownership of a five hundred thousand pound residential property in Essex has morphed into a criminal matter. The conflict arose when Susan Hickenbotham filed a lawsuit against her children, including Matthew and his sisters, Claire Noble and Charlotte Hamblin.Mrs. Hickenbotham alleged that her children had conspired to coerce her into signing a legal deed in 2019, which effectively stripped her of her ownership interest in the family home she had occupied since 1998. The mother claimed that she was subjected to bullying and undue influence, asserting that she was pressured into handing over the rights to the property to her daughter, Claire Noble.This legal action was triggered after her children served her with an eviction notice, attempting to remove her from the premises. However, the judicial review conducted by Judge Simon Monty led to a conclusion that was unexpected for the claimant. The judge ruled that the deed signed in 2019 was indeed valid and legally binding, thereby dismissing the mother's primary claim of coercion.While the judge did acknowledge that Mrs. Hickenbotham was entitled to a small fraction of the home's current value—specifically a ten percent share—due to the initial funds she contributed when the house was first acquired, the overall victory went to the children. The court heard that the property had originally belonged to the father, Michael Selt, and that Mrs. Hickenbotham had secured it after their separation in 2000 with a modest down payment.It was also revealed that her own father had provided a significant sum of ninety-six thousand pounds in 2008 to clear the mortgage, although there were conflicting accounts as to whether those funds were used as intended. The most damning part of the judgment emerged when the judge uncovered a sophisticated and long-running financial scam.Between the years 2000 and 2019, Mrs. Hickenbotham and her daughter, Claire Noble, had engaged in a massive housing benefit fraud that siphoned over two hundred thousand pounds from the public purse. The scheme involved the creation of a sham tenancy agreement designed to deceive the local authority. In this arrangement, Mrs. Hickenbotham presented herself as a tenant paying rent to Ms. Noble, who acted as the landlady.In reality, the judge found that Mrs. Hickenbotham was the true beneficial owner of the property during this period. The purpose of this deception was to secure housing benefit payments which were then used to cover the mortgage payments on the home. The judge described the tenancy as a complete fabrication, maintained solely for the purpose of financial gain through fraudulent means.Judge Simon Monty expressed deep disappointment in the findings, describing the situation as a sorry and predictable end to the unhappy family proceedings. He explicitly stated that Susan and Claire were fully aware that the arrangement was illegal and intended to deceive the government. Crucially, the judge cleared Matthew Selt and Charlotte Hamblin of any involvement in the benefit fraud, noting that they were not part of the deceptive scheme.Despite this, the fallout from the case is severe, as the judge announced his intention to report both Susan Hickenbotham and Claire Noble to the relevant authorities for criminal investigation. This case serves as a stark reminder of the legal consequences that can arise when family disputes are brought before the court, often uncovering secrets that extend far beyond the original scope of the litigation.The family home, once a sanctuary, has become the center of a legal nightmare involving fraud, betrayal, and potential imprisonment