By Staff Reporter

Last updated at 15:22, Wednesday, 04 April 2012

A Bangladeshi man who conned his way into the country has been spared an immediate prison sentence.

Judge Barbara Forrester

Hira Miah, 33, who lives in Penrith, came to the UK in 2003 with a certificate saying he was entitled to live here that actually belonged to a young girl.

But Carlisle Crown Court heard that, since arriving, Miah, of Raiselands Croft, had worked, paid National Insurance and tax and had never committed any other crimes.

The UK Border Agency had received information that he gained entry to the UK by deception, using a Bangledeshi passport with a certificate saying he had a right to live in this country.

He was later granted British Citizenship but was afterwards tracked down to Penrith by immigration officials, the court heard.

Miah admitted two charges – using a false certificate of entitlement of the right of abode and making a false representation by claiming a certificate of naturalisation was issued to him in Dhaka in 2003.

Greg Hoare, in mitigation, said he was “a young man who has behaved completely lawfully, the immigration matters apart”.

Judge Barbara Forrester, passing sentence, said Miah, who had the help of an interpreter in the dock, had behaved legitimately since arriving in the country.

He was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment for each charge, to run concurrently but to be suspended for two years.

Miah was also ordered to carry out 240 hours of unpaid work and abide by a four-month curfew, staying indoors between 8pm and 8am. A third count of making an untrue statement to obtain a passport was ordered to lie on file.

First published at 11:25, Wednesday, 04 April 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk