AN Algerian who masqueraded as a Belgian in York for four years has been jailed and faces deportation.

Illegal immigrant Rashid Mebirouk got into the UK by pretending to be a European Union citizen and therefore entitled to live and work here.

For years, he worked at the Lighthouse Fisheries fish and chip shop, in Hull Road, using a fake Belgian passport as his ID and living above the shop, York Crown Court heard.

But when immigration officers raided the chippie in search of another illegal immigrant he was caught and today is behind bars.

"It is not in the interest of this county that people who sneak into this country by fraudulent means, as you have, should be permitted to remain," said the Recorder of York, Judge Paul Hoffman.

He recommended that Mebirouk be deported back to Algeria after he finishes a 15-month jail sentence.

Mebirouk, 34, of Hull Road, York, admitted possessing a false passport with intent to use it to "prove" his identity.

Prosecutor Rob Galley said immigration officers raided the fish and chip shop after getting a tip-off that an illegal immigrant was working there.

Mebirouk was inside and gave a false name. Then he handed over the Belgian passport, claiming he had got it in Belgium. In fact, he had bought it for £250 from a man in France and had used it at Dover to enter the UK. But in York, he did not fool chief immigration officer Timothy Gallagher, who spotted four faults with it and knew it was fake.

Mebirouk's solicitor Mark Thompson said his lawyers had contacted the Immigration Service to see if it would agree to Mebirouk voluntarily returning to Algeria. The defence hoped this would lead to the CPS dropping the case against him.

But the CPS pressed charges and Mebirouk pleaded guilty.

His barrister, Philip Lancaster, said that the immigration officers were looking for a different person when they raided the fish and chip shop.

"He was caught in the net," said Mr Lancaster.

"If he hadn't been there, he would have gone unnoticed. He has done nothing to bring himself to the attention of the authorities in the four years he has been in the country."

Chris Hudson, the regional director of the Border and Immigration Agency, said: "If an illegal immigrant acquires false identity documents in order to illegally obtain a job - or even to evade detection by our officers - they can expect to face criminal proceedings and ultimately jail.

"Yesterday's sentencing sends out a clear message that neither the Border and Immigration Agency nor the courts will tolerate this behaviour. Agency staff are working hard around our region to tackle illegal working and to remove those with no legal right to be here. It is vital the community know this work is being carried out."