HE bought himself a false passport in a bid to remain in this country, but today this illegal immigrant's stay will be a bit longer after he was jailed for a year.

Walid Ahmed Al Shawi was snared when immigration officers raided his home in an operation against illegal workers in York and Harrogate.

Prosecutor Rob Galley said the officers found a Greek passport with seven errors at Al Shawi's home and that York was the second city where he had masqueraded as a citizen of the European Union.

Al Shawi, formerly of Lawrence Street, York, pleaded guilty to having a false ID with intent. He faces deportation after he is released from jail.

Today, Chris Hudson, regional director of the Border And Immigration Agency, said: "Getting a job in York is not a free-for-all.

"If you're working illegally then make no mistake - you will be caught.

"If someone uses forged identity documents to get a job, then they can expect to face criminal proceedings and ultimately jail."

An illegal immigrant who used a forged passport to work in York is today starting a prison sentence.

Walid Ahmed Al Shawi was snared when immigration officers raided his home as part of a series of operations against illegal workers in the city and Harrogate in December.

Prosecutor Rob Galley said the officers found a Greek passport with seven errors at Al Shawi's home and that York was the second city where he had masqueraded as a citizen of the European Union.

Al Shawi, formerly of Lawrence Street, York, pleaded guilty to having a false ID with intent and was jailed for 12 months.

"You were given a warning in 2005 in Bristol. To be in possession of false ID papers is extremely serious and is always treated by these courts as justifying a prison sentence," Recorder Timothy Roberts QC told him when he appeared at York Crown Court.

Mr Galley said the immigration authorities had not served a notice of deportation on Al Shawi, but his immigration status was that he was "an illegal entrant liable for removal".

At the time of the raid, on December 13, officers said that they believed him to be Egyptian, though he claimed to be Iraqi.

His solicitor, Damien Morrison, told the court: "He had a very poor background in terms of what happened in Iraq before coming to this country. He has not helped himself by committing this offence."

Mr Galley said immigration officers raided Al Shawi's house at 8.45pm and found the Greek passport in a false name. They also found bank cards and statements in the same false name and arrested Al Shawi.

He told them he had bought the passport for £100 and used it to get work because he needed money to pay for dental work.

He had a previous conviction for using a Greek passport illegally in Bristol in 2005 to "maintain his position in this country".

Mr Morrison said Al Shawi could not work legitimately and could not claim benefit, but he needed to support himself.

So he had chosen to use the passport to get work as the "lesser of two evils". It had helped him pay back the friend who had funded his ongoing dental work.

Arrests at eateries in York and Harrogate

Al Shawi was arrested when officials carried out a series of raids in North Yorkshire.

As well Al Shawi's home, York takeaways The Bay Of Bengal, in Bishopthorpe Road, and the Happy Valley Bistro And Café, in Goodramgate, as well as the Raj Put Restaurant, in Harrogate, were raided by officers from the Border And Immigration Agency.

Six men, including Al Shawi, and a woman were arrested during two operations.

An Afghan, a Bangladeshi and a Romanian were arrested at Raj Put; two Bangladeshis were arrested at The Bay Of Bengal; and a Chinese woman was arrested at the Happy Valley.

'If you're working illegally, we'll find you'

Chris Hudson, Regional Director of the Border and Immigration Agency said: "Getting a job in York is not a free-for-all.

"We carry out intelligence-led operations every day to crack down on illegal working and to ensure UK immigration laws are not abused.

"If you're working illegally then make no mistake - you will be caught. If someone uses forged identity documents to get a job, then they can expect to face criminal proceedings and ultimately jail.

"This sentence sends out a clear message that neither the Border And Immigration Agency nor the courts will tolerate this behaviour.

"ID cards are being brought in next year for foreign nationals. That means that people who don't have the right to work in the UK won't be able to pretend they're someone else to get a job, access to healthcare or claim benefits. Additionally, when the UK Borders Act comes into enforcement, in cases like this there will be a presumption of automatic deportation at the end of the sentence."

Two teams of officers conducted the raids in North Yorkshire. Anyone who suspects that illegal workers are being employed at a business should phone Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.