A MAN who operated an unauthorised immigration advice service has been sentenced to do unpaid work.

In a case brought by the Immigration Services Commissioner, Bolton Crown Court heard how Hamidali Musa Jiva, who owned Derby Street based Visa and Appeals Services UK, was not authorised to provide advice to people on immigration and other matters.

Jiva, aged 36, of Moorlands View, Bolton, pleaded guilty to four counts of providing unregulated immigration advice and services to a number of clients whilst knowing he was not authorised by the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner, as required by law. A further three offences are to remain on file.

Jiva was sentenced to undertake 180 hours of unpaid work and was ordered to pay more than £3,500 in compensation and costs.

Sentencing him, Recorder Fiona Ashworth took into account the impact Mr Jiva’s illegal and substandard advice had had on his clients, including a notice of deportation being served on one client and another needing to return to their country of origin in order to start a fresh application.

She said: “This was a clear breach of trust in a serious matter.

"This was a course of conduct over a long period of time. You knew full well you were not allowed to do this, you held out that you were an immigration expert, qualified to provide immigration advice.

"The reason your registration lapsed is because you didn’t want to pay the fee.

"Regulation of this area is designed to protect people from the problems we see here.”

Speaking about the decision, the Immigration Services Commissioner Mr John Tuckett said “Mr Jiva chose to operate outside the law and without regard for the protection of his clients leading directly to the problems they have since faced.

"I am delighted with the outcome in this case”.