A NORTH Wales businessman was jailed for nine months yesterday after he admitted immigration offences.

Defendant Gulab Ali, 49, of Whitebrook Close, Ruabon, pleaded guilty to three charges of facilitating a breach of immigration law by illegally providing work to three people.

Mold Crown Court heard the defendant was the manager of the Khazan Indian Restaurant on the Ruabon by-pass.

He had sponsored three people connected with his family to come from Bangladesh on temporary 12-month visas, said Andrew Thomas, prosecuting.

He gave evidence on behalf of two of them at an appeal and they were allowed into the UK after he said he would provide them with work and accommodation and would ensure they returned home at the end of the 12-month period.

But they were still working at his restaurant in March this year when police and immigration officers jointly visited the premises.

One had overstayed two years, one by nine months and a third by four months and were using false names.

There were also false passports and national insurance documents for them.

Paul Smith, defending, said his client came to the UK as a young man, worked hard, and established his own restaurant with some success.

The three people involved were not strangers but connected to his family back in Bangladesh, whom he had been sponsoring.

He provided them with work and accommodation and he had come under some pressure to allow them to stay.

Judge John Rogers QC said those who breached immigration regulations faced custody.

The defendant had admitted supervising the employment of three young men who he knew had overstayed their visa permission.

There had to be a deterrent element to such offences, he said.

The court heard in his pre-sentence report, the defendant blamed another man for employing them and said he was not involved in the running of the restaurant.