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Search forIllegal immigrant jailed - but allowed to stay for four more years
Wednesday, August 20, 2008, 11:06
But Hazel Moyo, 36, from Zimbabwe, has still been granted Home Office permission to remain in this country for another four years.
The unmarried mum, from Purley, has illegally earned £48,817 working as an NHS healthcare worker since 2005 with two separate health authorities.
Yesterday, a judge at Guildford Crown Court heard she got a job at South London and Maudsley NHS Trust in February 2005 after lying about her working rights.
In April 2007 she gave a false national insurance card to Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Trust again claiming she had the right to work in the country.
She was asked to confirm some detail and her employers became suspicious and when she was visited by police they found her passport contained a false stamp giving the holder indefinite leave to remain in the UK.
The government department was fully aware she faced serious charges likely to lead to a prison term and possible deportation.
But despite this they issued her with paperwork allowing her limited leave to stay until 2011
Mr Alan Richards, prosecuting at Guildford Crown Court said: "She received clearance to come to the UK as a visitor but that was limited to six months and she was not entitled to work".
It was later found that the false vignette related to a Somalian male and Moyo told police she had paid a man named only as Alan £1,500 for that and the NI card.
Victor Ogunbusola, defending, said: "The defendant clearly has a profound sense of remorse and regret.
"She comes from a relatively middle class background. She joined the Movement for Democratic Change [Zimbabwe's opposition party, members of which have been assaulted and intimidated].
"I think the world knows what has been happening back in Zimbabwe to supporters of the MDC.
"She was forced to come to the UK; she should have gone through the proper channels.
"Had she gone through the right channels she would have been entitled to work".
The court heard she sent money home to support her late mother through an illness.
Mr Ogunbusola added: "This is not an individual who would normally indulge in criminal behaviour".
Moyo, of Brighton Road, Purley, pleaded guilty to obtaining pecuniary advantage by deception, fraud and possessing a false identity document with the intention of using it.
Judge Christopher Critchlow, said: "I accept now that you are ashamed of what you did."
She was sentenced to six months for each of the three counts against her to run concurrently.
No order for deportation was made.
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