London, Nov 20 (IANS): A British court has sentenced an Indian national to 18 months in jail followed by deportation after completion of his sentence for entering the country using a fake passport.

The Bolton Crown Court has sentenced Yunus Mohamed Patel, 29, for securing entry to Britain using a false French passport, which he had allegedly bought for Rs.6,000, The Bolton News reported Tuesday.

Patel had submitted a counterfeit Indian passport in an attempt to remain in this country last year.

That raised suspicions and British home office investigators swooped down on his home in St Helier Street, Daubhill, in Bolton of Greater Manchester metropolitan county, and recovered false and counterfeit documents.

Patel admitted to four charges of forgery, obtaining property by deception, seeking to obtain leave by deception and possessing false identity documents.

“The prison term handed down in this case will act as a deterrent to others who think they can cheat the system,” Nick Wood, of the home office’s northwest immigration crime team, said.

“Using a forged or counterfeit passport is a serious offence and anyone who does so can expect to face arrest, jail and removal from the country,” Wood said.