University worker Yezza jailed for nine months
A UNIVERSITY of Nottingham administrator who falsely claimed he was allowed to be in Britain has been jailed for nine months.
Hicham Yezza was originally arrested under the Terrorism Act after he printed off a copy of an al Qaida manual for a friend. Both were later released without charge.
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Hicham Yezza
Yezza, 31, of Barker Gate, Nottingham, was then arrested again after police found his passport which he claimed had been stolen – and revealed he was an Algerian national.
Northampton Crown Court heard that Yezza had failed to get his documents stamped since 2003 and that his stay in the UK was illegal.
He claimed immigration officials extended his stay until December 2007.
Last month he was found guilty of securing avoidance of enforcement action by deceptive means.
In mitigation, Caroline Bradley, said her client had demonstrated a certain amount of "stupidity" because it was likely he would have had his stay in the UK extended if he had applied to have his visa renewed in 2003.
She said: "He did not in any way try to hide his identity and, if he had done things properly, he would have been granted in all likelihood the right to stay in this country."
Sentencing him, Judge Charles Wide QC told him: "I find that your guilt in this case involved the deliberate, extended manipulation of the system for immigration control, which involved deliberate and serious deceit.
"The public is entitled to have confidence in the system of immigration control but it makes it much more difficult for truthful applicants if some applicants tell lies, as you did."
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by Disillusioned, UK
Tuesday, March 10 2009, 9:31PM
“Time this person was DEPORTED with immediate effect.”
by Jock, Notts
Tuesday, March 10 2009, 2:15AM
“Please try reading the story instead of trying your spin as he was only here legally till 2003. He CLAIMED his visa was stamped until 2007 but could not find it and immigration had no records of it being stamped till 2007. He is caught out as a liar and a cheat and people like you still try to defend him.”
by Jeff, Beeston
Sunday, March 08 2009, 8:47PM
“In 2007 he would have been here over 10 years, making him eligible for permanent citizenship in the UK. Perfectly lawful. Nothing illegal there, Jock.”
by Jock, Notts
Sunday, March 08 2009, 2:44PM
“Milan, it is nothing to do with anti immigration comments its all to do with illegal immigrants coming to the country and thinking they can break our laws at any time. If he was so innocent then please explain his lies and attempted deceipt of the legal system.
If he was not guilty he would have been found not guilty ans he would have a stamped visa to prove it. Even if his claim was true this would only take him up to 2007 so why was he still here after then, because he is illegal.
So according to you his prosecution is a smear campaign NO its another ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT caught lying and trying to cheat the system.”
by Lesta, Lace Market
Sunday, March 08 2009, 8:08AM
“Jail for an offence which wasn't drug, violence, theft or sex related does seem over the top. He should certainly be deported as he has been here illegally for a number of years and has no right to remain here when released. He should have kept his gob shut and his finger off the "Print" button as he'd have been here for decades to come as the incompetents in the immigration service would never have found him.
Will the university be proscecuted for employing an illegal ?”