Couple who faked medical letters for housing bid, are sentenced

22 Sep 2026

A Newmarket couple who faked medical letters in an attempt to boost their claim for affordable housing, have been sentenced.

Martyna and Ardian Toska of Valley Way both appeared before Cambridge Magistrates Court for sentencing yesterday, having each pled guilty to two counts of fraud at a previous hearing in June.

The court heard that Ardian, 36, faked a medical letter from the Rookery Medical Practice in Newmarket in March 2024, and then submitted that letter to try to bump up their priority banding on the West Suffolk Housing Register.

His wife Martyna, 37, similarly faked a medical letter in December 2024, this time purporting to be from Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge. That again was submitted as evidence to support their housing application.

West Suffolk Council prioritises applications for affordable housing based on levels of need. The higher the urgency of need, the more likely someone is to be successful in getting affordable housing. Medical evidence such as letters from GPs and hospitals can play an important role in triggering the reassessment of a household’s application into a higher category of need.  

There’s already a high demand for affordable rent homes which are managed by housing associations with rent levels at around 80 per cent of the cost of private rent. The affordable housing register also includes lower rent “social” homes.

In the Toskas’ case, however, their fraud was discovered before they were able to benefit in securing affordable housing.

Housing officers at the council complete in-depth assessments of housing need and the evidence that has been provided, in line with the West Suffolk Lettings Policy. That work includes attention to detail to spot any potential fraud.

In the case of the Toskas, housing officers found discrepancies on the evidence that the couple had submitted and sought further verification from the GP surgery and hospital. The information that they received back from the GP surgery and hospital confirmed that the evidence submitted was fraudulent.

While these investigations took place, the Toskas’ application was suspended from the housing register by West Suffolk Council who, alongside Anglia Revenues Partnership, brought about the prosecution.

The Toskas were sentenced to community orders for 12 months. Ardian’s includes 120 hours of unpaid work while Martyna’s includes mental health support. She was also fined £614. They must both pay costs of £1,000 each and a victim surcharge of £114 each.

Cllr Richard O’Driscoll, Cabinet Member for Housing at West Suffolk Council said: “We recognise that there is a huge need for more affordable and social housing in West Suffolk and we are already taking action to remedy this through our planning policies, our direct engagement with housing associations and developers to collectively address local needs, as well as the start of work on a new local plan.

“We know that as of 1 September, we had 2,454 households on our housing register including just over 870 in urgent or high-priority need. I have sympathy for these households in urgent or high priority where the housing they are in is simply too small or unsuitable and they are desperate need.

“That’s why it is so important that we take action where a couple like this have tried, and more than once, to secure an unfair advantage over others by faking medical letters. Thankfully this is rare, and the first case of its kind in West Suffolk. But our message to anyone looking to do similar is clear, we will not tolerate fraud, and we will take action wherever it is detected.”

 

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