22/07/2011

Charges Follows Sham Marriage In Belfast

A bride and groom arrested as they prepared to take their wedding vows on Wednesday have been charged with immigration offences.

Following the investigation into the organisation of sham marriages officers from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and the UK Border Agency stopped a wedding shortly after noon at Belfast City Hall Register Office, between a Ghanaian woman and a Portuguese man.

The couple were taken to Musgrave Street police station in Belfast where they were charged with offences relating to attempts to evade UK immigration laws.

Victoria Boateng, an 18-year-old Ghanaian national appeared at Laganside Magistrates Court today charged with seeking to obtain leave to remain in the UK by deception and was released on bail until 18 August.

Ivan Goncalves a 24-year-old Portuguese national is due to appear before Belfast Magistrates Court on Wednesday 17 August on charges of assisting unlawful immigration.

A Portuguese and South African national who acted as witnesses to the marriage were also arrested for assisting unlawful immigration but released without charge pending further enquiries.

The news comes after police in Derry City made an arrest blunder over a separate supposed 'sham wedding'.

During their marriage ceremony on Tuesday Neil McIlwee's pregnant fiancee, Yanan Sun, was arrested at the Guildhall in Londonderry over the suspect 'sham marriage.'

The Castlederg man later rejected an apology from the police after their wedding was interrupted.

The couple were released after police realised their mistake. They were actually married the next day in nearby Castlederg.

(BMcN/BMcC)

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