False identity for Iraqi man ends in prison

Alan Rowandoussi, 35, of Douglas Gardens, Poole, failed to leave the country after his claim for asylum in the UK failed in 2004, Bournemouth Crown Court heard.

He assumed the identity of an Iraqi friend, Jalil Ali Kareem, who had left the country but was legally entitled to be in the UK.

Using this false identity Rowandoussi successfully applied for a number of UK documents including a UK passport and got a job as a taxi driver in the Bournemouth area.

The court heard that Rowandoussi left Iraq for the UK in 2000 after his political activist father was killed. Rowandoussi but used his UK passport to travel back to his home town in Iraq on several occasions.

During his unsuccessful asylum claim he had claimed he would be killed if he ever travelled to his home town.

Rowandoussi was arrested in a joint operation between Dorset Police and the Border and Immigration Agency.

On his arrest $3,700 US dollars was found in cash at his home address, the court heard.

His defence Aron Rollin said that after his failed asylum application Rowandoussi was unable to legally work and lived on the charity of friends.

After 18 months he made the "desperate and stupid" decision to adopt his friend's identity in a bid to get work and earn money he said.

Mr Rollin told the court: "The key thing to make clear about Mr Rowandoussi's life in this country is that from when he was allowed to he always worked.

"He always paid tax, national insurance and income tax. He returned to Iraq because he received reports that the rest of his family were threatened."

Rowandoussi pleaded guilty to a charge of obtaining leave to enter or remain in the UK by deception, three charges of possession of false identification documents with intent, and fraud.

Four further charges of possession of false identification documents with intent and assisting unlawful entry into a member state were ordered to lie on file.