Bogus college founder jailed

LLoyd Beckford was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court

A man has been convicted of setting up a bogus college to con authorities into letting illegal immigrants stay in Britain.

Lloyd Beckford, 42, of St Paul's, Bristol, denied trying to circumvent UK immigration law.

He was found guilty by a jury of 23 counts of fraud, and sentenced to three-and-a-half years imprisonment.

More than 340 immigrants - mainly from Jamaica - signed on at the ABT College in Bristol, knowing they could then extend their stay in the UK, the court heard.

Lloyd Beckford deceived the Home Office

When police raided the college last December, they found empty classrooms, false documents and lists of names.

Sentencing him, Judge Michael Roach told Beckford that he had deceived the Home Office by providing false guarantors for study.

"In a systematic way you provided for people who had enrolled at your college a means, for money, of staying in the UK," he said.

During the trial, the jury was told that only three students had ever sat an exam at ABT.

Almost 150 students are still being sought by immigration officials.

Students were charged tuition fees of more than £1,700, with around £50 for exam and administration costs.

All the offences were said to have happened in 2000 and 2001.