Seven couples and one man from East Lancashire forged documents and provided false information on visa applications to unlawfully bring people to the UK.

The lead offender, Mahmood Hussain, has been jailed for his role in the offence.

Hussain, 56, from Nelson, was sentenced on Monday, April 15 at Preston Crown Court along with nine others after the original sentence hearing in February was adjourned due to a lack of preparation from defence counsel.

On that date, Francis McEntee, prosecuting, said Hussain had been responsible for forging documents and providing false information on visa applications dating back to 2018.

Lancashire Telegraph: Mahmood HussainMahmood Hussain (Image: Home Office)

This was in relation to the employment records of three people who wanted to sponsor their spouses to come and live with them in the UK from Pakistan.

The court heard how Hussain had forged documents for Qasim Khan, 31; Sakab Asghar, 34; and Sidra Ali, 33, saying they had all worked at his MOT garage in Garden Street, Nelson, on different dates between March 2018 and July 2020.

This information was used as evidence to prove the defendants were earning the minimum £18,600 a year required by immigration rules to allow a spouse to enter the country without becoming a burden to the state.

Last year, a jury found Hussain, Khan, Asghar, and Ali guilty of assisting with the unlawful immigration of non-EU citizens by providing false information on visa application forms.

The jury also found Maria Khan, 27 and Taimoor Ali, 29, guilty of obtaining leave to enter or remain in the UK by deception, in that they knew about the falsification of the documents.

Lancashire Telegraph: Preston Crown Court Sessions HousePreston Crown Court Sessions House (Image: NQ)

Dominic D’Souza, for Hussain, said the defendant had a number of references from well-respected people in society, including five councillors – whose names were not provided – plus a lawyer and a firefighter, who all said Hussain is a respectable member of the community in Nelson.

Although Hussain’s bank account had nearly £369,000 in it at the time of his arrest, Mr D’Souza also told the court this was from the defendant’s legal earnings from carrying out MOT tests at his garage, rather than from payment for these offences, with receipts from the DVLA.

Other defendants Junaid Ali, 30; Asim Shah, 34; and Mohammed Uldin, 34; all pleaded guilty to the same offence.

The sentences are as follows:

  • Mahmood Hussain, of Chapel House Road, Nelson – four years and six months in prison
  • Maria Khan, of Leytonstone, London – nine months in prison suspended for 12 months and 70 hours of unpaid work
  • Qasim Khan, of Percy Street, Nelson – 15 months in prison suspended for 12 months and 120 hours of unpaid work
  • Sidhra Riaz, 27, of Walverden Crescent, Nelson – 12 months in prison suspended for 12 months and 100 hours of unpaid work
  • Sakab Asghar, of Aikman Place, Burnley – 12 months in prison suspended for 12 months and 100 hours unpaid work
  • Asim Shah, of Railway Street, Nelson – 12 months in prison suspended for 12 months and 100 hours unpaid work
  • Junaid Ali, of Manchester Road, Nelson – 12 months in prison suspended for 12 months and 100 hours of unpaid work
  • Mohammed Uldin, of Highfield Crescent, Nelson – nine months in prison suspended for 12 months and 70 hours of unpaid work
  • Taimoor Ali, of Percy Street, Nelson – eight months in prison suspended for 12 months and 65 hours of unpaid work
  • Sidra Ali, of Percy Street, Nelson – 12 months in prison suspended for 12 months and 100 hours of unpaid work

The prosecution offered no evidence in respect of Sabeela Arshad, 30; Laila Ume, 30; Mewish Naz, 32; Mehnaz Uldin, 35; and Noman Rehman, 26.