Immigrant caught with fake passport

1:26pm Monday 9th March 2009

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An illegal immigrant who produced a fake French passport when he was stopped in a car park has been jailed for 10 months.

Nurudeen Otubanjo, 44, was behind the wheel of his girlfriend’s car off the High Street in Westbury when he was spoken to by the police.

And the Nigerian produced the counterfeit French driving licence to prove his identity to the officer.

But the police became suspicious when he was asked where he was born he replied France but the licence said Nigeria on it.

The African, who had overstayed on his visa, was parking the vehicle in the town centre for his partner on Tuesday December 30 when he was arrested.

Otubanjo, of Dartford, Kent, pleaded guilty to possessing an identity document with intent.

He denied a similar charge relating to a National Insurance card which was left to lie on the file.

Trevor Siddle, defending, said his client was born in Nigeria but left in 2000 after his parents died.

His only relation was a sister who was living in Dartford so he came to the UK on a visitor’s visa.

Mr Siddle said he had since overstayed but was living with a woman who is a UK resident and whose car he was in when he was arrested.

The court was told that Otubanjo’s partner had three children and the couple earned money buying and selling cars.

He said although he had not been served with immigration papers which meant the judge could recommend his deportation he was still likely to be thrown out of the country.