A ZIMBABWEAN man who used fake documents to get work has been spared jail.

Judge Dudley Bennett described Weldone Javangwe as a "perfectly respectable man" who has contributed to the Nottingham community.

The court heard Javangwe, who is a member of the political party Movement for Democratic Change, could not go back to Zimbabwe because his life would be in danger.

But he is not able to work legally in this country, because he has been refused asylum.

Judge Bennett said: "You are a perfectly respectable man who fled from Zimbabwe.

"You have been paying your taxes and you have not been a drain on our society in any way."

Failed asylum seekers are normally deported, but deportations to Zimbabwe have been suspended because of the difficult political situation in the country.

The court heard Javangwe, 26, paid £50 for a false letter giving him refugee status. He used it to get work for employment agencies.

He came to England in 2002, and has been working since 2003. He has even been making contributions to somebody else's National Insurance, because the number on his documents was a real one.

Javangwe, who pleaded guilty to possession of a false ID document, has not committed any other offence since coming to the UK, and only came to the attention of police after applying for a driving licence in June.

He was arrested after the DVLA realised his documents were false.

Javangwe is living in Cranwell Road, Strelley. The court heard the rest of his family have either come to the UK or fled to South Africa.

Judge Bennett gave Javangwe a nine-month prison sentence, suspended for two years. He will not have to serve it unless he commits another offence in that time. He will also have to do 80 hours unpaid community work.

The decision was welcomed by Regis Manyanya, chairman of the Nottingham Zimbabwean Community Network, which campaigns for Zimbabweans refused asylum to be given the right to work.

He said: "There are a lot of people in the same situation. Because they are living in destitution some of them feel they have no option but to work illegally. Some are being pushed into prostitution.

"They are hard-working and want to make a living, but because of the system they are forced into committing these types of crime."

caroline.lowbridge@nottinghameveningpost.co.uk