Pakistani groom sentenced to 20 months in jail in UK

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Press Trust of India London
Last Updated : Feb 15 2015 | 2:20 PM IST
A UK court has sentenced three people, including a Pakistani bridegroom, to up to 20 months in prison for immigration offences after he forgot his wife-to-be's name minutes before the wedding.
Authorities were alerted after Zubair Khan phoned his marriage fixer to ask his bride's name during a meeting with the register before the ceremony.
Home Office investigators were contacted by the registrar and the couple were arrested at the Hull Register Office in October.
Khan, 28, was a former college student who turned to a sham marriage plot in a desperate attempt to stay in the UK because his student visa was about to expire.
Khan and his Hungarian bride Beata Szilagyi were sentenced to 20 months and 17 months respectively at Hull Crown Court, Telegraph reported.
They both admitted conspiracy to facilitate a breach of immigration law.
Marriage fixer Khaliq Dad Khan, 48, from London was also jailed for 20 months after pleading guilty to the same charge.
The trio was also arrested at the register office in October last year.
Home Office investigator Andy Sharpe, from Immigration Enforcement Criminal Investigations, said: "This was a farcical but nonetheless serious attempt to cheat the UK's immigration laws.
"The sentences handed out reflect the gravity of their criminality. This case shows that the people who attempt to abuse the system will be caught, and they will end up in prison," Sharpe said.
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First Published: Feb 15 2015 | 2:20 PM IST

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