Pole living with partner and child wed Indian student in sham marriage

Marin Cislak tied the knot with a 29-year-old woman, who claimed to be called Rubina George, at Birmingham Register Office on February 11 2013, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.

The 34-year-old 'groom' later said he did this as a favour and was not paid, a claim that was not accepted by the prosecution.

Five months after the bogus ceremony Home Office investigators and police swooped as another sham marriage was taking place at the register officer, said Mr Thomas Kenning, Prosecuting.

Among those arrested was Mohammed Akhtar, who was acting as an interpreter and later discovered to have arranged a string of bogus weddings aimed at getting illegal immigrants - paying up to £5,000 each - permission to live, work and claim benefits in this country by marrying an EU national with a residence in the UK.

Police searched Akhtar's Wolverhampton home and discovered details of other sham marriages he had set up including the ceremony involving Cislak, the court heard.

The woman calling herself Rubina George had been given permission to study in this country in August 2009 but had the visa withdrawn in October of the following year because she was not attending college, said Mr Kenning.

Four months later she 'wed' Cislak and applied to remain in this country on the basis of her being married to an EU national who was living here. She then disappeared and has still not been traced. The couple planned to divorce after three months, it was said.

Mr Vijay Muman, defending, said: "He did not go into this for financial advantage unlike others involved in this conspiracy. He took pity on Rubina George because of the situation she was in. When he went to see Akhtar for advice he though that the man was a genuine solicitor's clerk and confessed to him that it would not be a true marriage."

Cislak from Fawdry Street, Whitmore Reans has a seven year old daughter and a partner who is pregnant with their second child. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to breach immigration laws and was jailed for eight months by Judge Michael Challinor who told him:

"This was part of a sophisticated criminal conspiracy principally to make money, to remain illegally in the UK or to assist others to do so. You went into this sham marriage with your eyes open. You were going to be married for three months or so and then divorce her. You knew precisely what you were doing."