Jail for fake immigration consultant

A CONMAN who preyed on his victim's hopes of staying in the UK by pretending he could offer immigration advice has been jailed for 48 months.

Joseph Said-Calleja, 48, advertised his services at the Central Mosque in Edinburgh and scammed his targets out of a total of more than 2000, a court heard yesterday.

Fiscal depute Melanie Ward told Edinburgh Sheriff Court: "The accused had advertised his services as an immigration consultant in a couple of places around Edinburgh, one of these was the Central Mosque.

"He left contact details for him so that people could contact him and arrange to meet him to discuss their immigration needs."

The court heard one family of five from Zimbabwe who wanted to stay in the UK paid him 975 and handed over passports and birth certificates.

Another couple handed Said-Calleja 837.50 because they wanted to gain permanent leave for the woman's elderly mother, who was from Ghana, to remain in the UK.

Said-Calleja, of Edinburgh Prison, admitted three charges of fraud and obtaining 2312 by fraud.