A self-styled immigration ‘expert’ charged foreign

A self-styled immigration ‘expert’ charged foreign nationals
pnds stlg 2,000 a time to arrange fake marriages so they could
stay in the United Kingdom, a jury were told today (Thurs).

Roy Cole, 37, was usually present at the bogus wedding
ceremonies at registry offices across London and is ‘at the
centre of the case,’ said prosecutor Mr John Crocker.

But the ‘sham’ marriages eventually came under the close
scrutiny of detectives who monitored Cole’s – and his assistants’
– activities before moving in to make arrests last year.

Snaresbrook Crown Court heard that among those who were
arrested were Turkish ‘interpreter’ Ali Pyraz, with Nigerian
Kelvin Njoku and Yuksel Yilmaz, who, it alleged, played the parts
of bride-grooms in marriages.

Mr Crocker told the jury that Cole, of Newington Green,
Stoke Newington, n.

London has pleaded guilty to a charge of
conspiracy to defraud the Home Office between January 1990 and
October 1992.

In the dock denying that charge are: John Hogg, 38, of
Clissold Road, Stoke Newington; Poyraz, 21, of Ingleton Road,
Upper Edmonton, n.

London; Yilmaz, 27, of Lordship Lane, Wood
Green, n.

London; Njoku, 30, of Honeywood Road, Harlesden, n.

London and Femi Sanni, 33, of High Road, Wood Green.

Mr Crocker said that what Cole and others did ‘in a nutshell
was to attend marriages or set up marriages for foreigners’ so
they could obtain British citizenship and stay in the country.

Persons would ‘go to marriages giving false details of
names and addresses and then obtain these marriage certificates’
continued counsel.

When Cole was arrested in October last year ‘a large amount
of documentation was found at his address and that documentation
led the police to other persons who were involved in these
mariages.

‘
Police were led to a Turkish Cypriot called Mustapha Ozkan:
‘He arrived in the UK in Christmas 1991.

He was trying to obtain
political assylum.

He was introduced to Cole.

He was told Cole
could arrange things for him.

‘Cole was putting himself forward as an expert on immigration.

Cole could arrange marriages for pnds stlg 2,000 per person.

‘
Mr Crocker told the jury they would be hearing evidence from
Mr Ozkan who will say that Cole organised marriages for his son
Metin and daughter Hatun.

The ceremonies, which were attended by Cole and his girlfriend
Angela Glenton, took place in April last year at Hendon Registry
Office.

Metin Ozkan’s ‘bride’ was a woman called Barbara Kent – now
Barbara Elmes – of Broad Oak Way, Stevenage, Herts.

, who knew nothing
of the wedding.

The ‘person there to interpret was Poyraz,’ said counsel.

Mr Crocker continued: ‘Mrs Kent used to live with the defendant
Hogg.

That Stevenage address is quite an interesting address
because.

.

.

.

.

a marriage certifciate was found between Yilmaz and a
lady called Christine Plant.

That marriage certificate is false.

It was filled out by Angela Glenton.

‘
Counsel said that similarly Metin Ozkan’s sister Hatun married
a man named as Philip Butterworth.

‘Mr Butterworth lives with his wife in Lytham, Lancashire.

He
had never heard of Hatun Ozkan.

He had heard of Cole because he was
his cousin.

‘What the Crown say that Cole was doing was using real people
and real addresses but in fact substituting them with other people
to get them marriage certificates to remain in the country.

‘
Counsel said that as officers from Holloway Police Station
became aware of the wedding racket they were able to keep observation
and take photographs of Cole, and his helpers, activities.

The jury were shown photographs of a red Datsun driven by the
defendant Sanni, with Hogg, Cole, and others – arriving at the Bow
Registry Office in East London on September 23 last year.

The marriage was between a Turkish woman and an Englishman
giving the name ‘Derek Hill.

‘
Mr Crocker said that Sanni was also seen driving to and from
the registry office in Stoke Newington on October 1 last year when,
in a fake marriage organised by Cole, the defendant Njoku allegedly
married a woman with the name ‘Jacqueline Bull.

‘
‘The police arrested Cole and Njoku, who had on him pnds stlg
1,000, which the Crown suggest was half payment to Cole following
the marriage.

‘
Hogg, who was not present at that wedding, had allowed ‘Mrs
Bull’ to stay at his home during the previous night.

He made no comment in police interviews when he was arrested.

Poyraz, who was allegedly the ‘interpreter,’ was to tell
detectives that he was ‘under duress from Cole’ and denied that
knowing the weddings were fake.

After his arrest Yilmaz allegedly denied in interview ever
having seen the marriage certificate that linked him to ‘Christine
Plant.

‘
He distanced himself from two receipts – adding up to pnds
stlg 2,000 – which the Crown say related to money he paid to Cole.

Sanni allegedly told detectives he was merely ’employed or
booked by Cole’ to drive for him.

After his arrest Njoku chose to exercise his right to silence
during a police interview.

Mr Crocker told the jury that they would be hearing ‘crucial’
evidence from Cole’s girlfriend Mrs Glenton who is a witness for
the Crown.

The trial continues.

ends