Sham marriage busted by UK Border Agency at Scunthorpe Registry Office
A SHAM marriage was busted before the vows could be exchanged, thanks to a swoop by UK Border Agency officers.
The phoney wedding, at Scunthorpe Register Office, on Oswald Road, was foiled on Monday with the arrival of the Government officials.
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SWOOP: UK Border Agency officials make an arrest.
The surprise guests arrested the bride, a 29-year-old Lithuanian national, and her groom, a 39-year-old Pakistani national, before taking them to Scunthorpe Police Station for questioning.
UK Border Agency officers made the arrests just moments before the illegal pair said the vows which would have granted them the right to live and work in the UK.
The bust, thought to have been the first to have taken place at the register office, should serve as a warning to other fake couples, the UK Border Agency said.
Regional director, Jeremy Oppenheim, said: "We will take action against anyone found to have entered into a sham marriage in an attempt to break the rules so that they can live in the UK. The UK Border Agency is working closely with registrars to identify marriages that may not be genuine, and where we suspect that may be the case we will investigate.
"We have specialist teams of immigration officers and police working together to investigate cases just like this and ensuring people are not able to benefit from breaking the UK's immigration laws."
North Lincolnshire's superintendent-registrar Alison Prestwood was at work during the sting, but declined to comment on what had happened, calling the experience "unpleasant".
UK Border Agency officers and the agency's Immigration Crime Team thwarted the bogus big day after receiving a tip-off the betrothed couple might not be marrying for love.
Local police were not directly involved in disrupting the wedding plot, but Insp Graham Ward, who heads policing in the area, said officers were aware of the operation. "It was an unusual one. We didn't have any involvement but the suspects were taken to the main Scunthorpe station for questioning," he said.
"I'm aware marriages like this do happen – they're obviously about trying to stay in the country – but in 29 years I've never been aware of any previous busts like this at the register office."
The Lithuanian female was questioned and then released on bail pending further investigations.
The Pakistani male was questioned and then detained for overstaying his visa. He is being held in detention while the UK Border Agency now takes steps to try and remove him from the UK.
27 Comments
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by Anthony, Crosby
Saturday, August 14 2010, 4:59PM
“Well done immigration police. Just to complete the case. deport them both.”
by stuart, scunny
Saturday, July 17 2010, 2:35PM
“love it i always find it funny how quickly the old racist card comes in to play 13 years under labour and you cant even call a blackboard a blackboard any more just hope the new government instills some common sense back into this country
p.s i am not racist”
by anon, scunny
Saturday, July 17 2010, 12:24AM
“@non racist
We don't need to go abroad for racist remarks love, there's plenty said in our own country. Like I said in my previous post, we are becoming a minority. The point of this posting is immigrants marrying illegally to stay in Britain, the facts are in black and white! They got caught! like so many more will under this government.”
by non racist, scunny
Friday, July 16 2010, 11:15PM
“ive never heard such rubbish do u people actually know how the immigration system work have u ever had any experiance with them?? the answer 2 this is probably no!!! u ll seem 2 think if u come 2 this country u get everything handed 2 u on a plate utter rubbish, europeans r different they have rights but coming from somewhere like africa pakistan u dont get a single penny and even if u do marry in this country does NOT give u an automatic legal status 2 remain in this country. as 4 sponging of the benefit system non europeans hardly get a peeny if at all any money at all in benefits. it also takes a lot of time n money which they work for 2 apply 4 their remain 2 leave n they still mite not get it.... im an english person n i am married 2 a sum1 who is not british or european....people seriously need 2 keep their racist comments 2 themselves wot happened 2 freedom 4 all i wonder how many of u go abroad on hols or now someone who has moved abroad i bet they dont get all the nasty racist comments from the locals all hypocrits thats wot i say!!!!!”
by Chris, Barton
Friday, July 16 2010, 10:45PM
“Ron, Broughton. Perhaps you should go with them. GRAMMER ???????”
by Ron, Broughton
Friday, July 16 2010, 8:54PM
“Having read most of the comments on here all I can say with regard to most of their spelling and grammer is that they should go for English lessons!”
by Jim, ...
Friday, July 16 2010, 7:41PM
“To John H
I appreciate your comment John, thanks.
and et al...
Interesting that someone thinks I am New Labour, yet I mentioned being Welsh and not particlarly fond of London Centric Politics, I can assure you I have no affiliation with any of the Labour/Llafur parties, however as I cannot vote Plaid Cymru I tend to be rather liberal with my politics.
If I made any personal attacks in my previous postings I apologise, if so it was unintentional, however I am quite bemused by the churlish personal attacks in return.
The English nation is made up of lots of different aspects, some good, some bad, if we wanted it to remain pure bred soon we will all have 6 fingers and 3 eyes. Interbreeding leeds to things like the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.”
by racist fools, no history
Friday, July 16 2010, 7:07PM
“too many racist idiots in posting on here. you are a disgrace to scunthorpe a town originally made up of people who came into the area to work in the iron & steel industry. shame on you all”
by john H, Scunny
Friday, July 16 2010, 6:34PM
“@Jim
don't bother to try and have a different opinion than these tosspots.
All they know is the true cowardly English way of ganging up on the stranger, just as bullies always do.
don't waste your interesting knowledge on these wasters.”
by joe, scunny
Friday, July 16 2010, 6:33PM
“you really are ignorant plebs, any migrant worker from the most recent ascension countries has to be here two years and pay 2 years class 1 national insurance before they are eligible for any benefits.
Yet, you can go to any EU country and get benefits immediately, paid at the UK rate or the local rate whichever is the higher, never lower than in the UK. So if you were in Poland you would get your £64 per week yet most Polish people do not get any state benefits as they do not exist like they do in this country.
well said kev! to many ignorant people have no idea this is the case, they just throw a " come over here taking our benefits" then bustin open another tin of stella whilst riding the band wagon!
my polish wife worked here for three years and when she got laid off wasnt entitled to any benefits because she had had some time off in-between jobs changed”