Latest news with #SnaresbrookCrownCourt
Times
20-05-2025
- Times
Fraudster used wigs and fake IDs to take citizenship tests
A woman who used wigs and false documents to pretend to be 13 people taking UK citizenship tests has been jailed for four years and six months. Josephine Maurice, 61, a former bus driver, attended test centres across England to fraudulently take the 'life in the UK' test between June 1, 2022 and August 14, 2023, Snaresbrook crown court was told. The test is a requirement for anyone seeking indefinite leave to remain or naturalisation as a British citizen. It consists of 24 questions aimed at 'proving the applicant has sufficient knowledge of British values, history and society'. Sentencing Maurice, of Enfield, north London, on Tuesday, Judge Anthony Callaway described her actions as a 'wholesale assault' on the immigration system and said that there had
Telegraph
20-05-2025
- Telegraph
This is an assault on the immigration system, judge tells citizenship test fraudster
A judge has said a fraudster who wore 13 wigs to take citizenship tests for migrants committed a 'wholesale assault' on the immigration system. Josephine Maurice, 61, travelled around the country, using a series of disguises and false documents to take the Life in the UK test on behalf of migrants. She pretended to be 13 different people between June 1 2022 and Aug 14 2023, Snaresbrook Crown Court heard. Maurice, a former bus driver of Enfield, north London, was jailed for four years and six months after pleading guilty to 13 counts of fraud, a charge of conspiracy to commit fraud and two counts of possession of another person's identity documents. District Judge Anthony Callaway, sentencing on Tuesday, described Maurice's actions as 'wholesale assault' on the immigration system and said there was a 'clear advantage' to people who wanted to progress towards citizenship without following all the procedures. The Life in the UK test is a requirement for anyone seeking to obtain indefinite leave to remain or naturalisation as a British citizen. According to the Home Office, it consists of 24 questions aimed at 'proving the applicant has sufficient knowledge of British values, history and society'. The judge told Maurice, who appeared via video link: 'You attended test centres fraudulently undertaking Life in the UK tests on behalf of other persons who, naturally, were supposed to and were intended to be there. 'It is clear that the fraud was deliberate and sophisticated and involved the alteration of identity documents, travel documents, false wigs and other matters. 'The geography was varied. You attended in person a variety of centres in London and elsewhere including Stratford, Luton, Hounslow, Reading, Oxford, Nottingham and Milton Keynes.' 'Well-organised' scam Provisional driving licences were found at her home after her arrest earlier this year. Maurice has a previous fraud conviction dating back to August 2015 and 'there are similarities' to the current case as it involved her 'impersonating' someone in order to take a driving theory test, the judge said. Maurice appeared via video link from HMP Bronzefield where she has been a 'model inmate'. Earlier prosecutor Nana Owusuh said it is difficult for investigators to quantify the financial benefits of the 'well-organised' scam or to 'calibrate any gains'. Maurice's defence lawyer, Stephen Akinsanya, described it as 'an unusual case' and told the court that for the 'level of sophistication and planning – the crown has provided no evidence that she is the mastermind of this.' 'Coercion and intimidation' He said: 'This is someone who has found herself involved in something far more serious than she envisioned. She found herself trapped to people she owed a sum of money. 'There are some levels of coercion and intimidation. She was not motivated by personal gain.' Of Maurice, he said: 'Prior to her arrest she was a bus driver with Arriva and looking after her 25-year-old son who was afflicted with schizophrenia.' Mr Akinsanya said: 'She foolishly agreed to help someone and this is where it has landed her – in custody and away from her son who is clearly vulnerable, that's what keeps her awake at night. 'She understands the implications of what she has done and for national security, and the court can treat such matters harshly.'
BBC News
20-05-2025
- BBC News
Enfield woman jailed for taking citizenship tests for others
A woman who used "an array of wigs" while completing UK citizenship tests for other people has been sentenced to more than four years in jail. Josephine Maurice, from Enfield in north London, pretended to be both women and men when she took the Life in the UK Test on behalf of 13 applicants between 1 June 2022 and 14 August a former bus driver, had pleaded guilty to 13 counts of fraud, a charge of conspiracy to commit fraud and two counts of possession of another person's identity her on Tuesday, District Judge Anthony Callaway, sentencing on Tuesday, described Maurice's actions as "wholesale assault" on the immigration system. 'Deliberate fraud' At Snaresbrook Crown Court, Judge Callaway said there was a "clear advantage" to people who wanted to progress towards citizenship without following all the Life in the UK Test is a requirement for anyone seeking to obtain indefinite leave to remain or to become a British consists of 24 questions aimed at proving the applicant has sufficient knowledge of British values, history and pay £50 to take the test, which includes questions such as "who was king of England at the time of the Norman invasion in 1066?" and "how often does Prime Minister's Questions occur when Parliament is sitting?"The judge told Maurice, who appeared via videolink from HMP Bronzefield: "You attended test centres fraudulently undertaking Life in the UK Tests on behalf of other persons who, naturally, were supposed to and were intended to be there."It is clear that the fraud was deliberate and sophisticated and involved the alteration of identity documents, travel documents, false wigs and other matters."The geography was varied. You attended in person a variety of centres in London and elsewhere including Stratford, Luton, Hounslow, Reading, Oxford, Nottingham and Milton Keynes." 'Well organised' Provisional driving licences were found at her home after her arrest earlier this Nana Owusuh said it is difficult for investigators to quantify the financial benefits of the "well organised" scam or to "calibrate any gains".Defence lawyer Stephen Akinsanya told the court that Maurice was not the mastermind of the scam but the offences could potentially rise to "affecting national security if people are passing tests when they have no right to be here".He told the court prior to her arrest she was a bus driver with Arriva and looking after her 25-year-old son who had Akinsanya said: "She foolishly agreed to help someone and this is where it has landed her - in custody and away from her son who is clearly vulnerable, that's what keeps her awake at night."Maurice was jailed for four years and six months.
Daily Mail
20-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Fraudster who used wigs, disguises and false documents to complete UK citizenship tests for 13 people is jailed for over four years
A fraudster who donned an array of wigs to sit UK citizenship tests for 13 different migrants has been jailed for six and a half years. Josephine Maurice, 61, of Enfield, North London, posed as both men and women to complete the exam in a 'wholesale assault' on the immigration system. Sentencing her, district judge Anthony Callaway said Maurice had given a 'clear advantage' to people who wanted British citizenship without following the rules. 'It is clear that the fraud was deliberate and sophisticated and involved the alteration of identity documents, travel documents, false wigs and other matters,' he told her. 'The geography was varied. You attended in person a variety of centres in London and elsewhere including Stratford, Luton, Hounslow, Reading, Oxford, Nottingham and Milton Keynes.' The former bus driver had admitted 13 counts of fraud, conspiracy to commit fraud and two counts of possession of another person's identity documents at an earlier hearing. Snaresbrook Crown Court heard she pretended to be 13 different people, both male and female, to undertake the Life in the UK test between June 1 2022 and August 14 2023. The Home Office previously said she had used an 'array of wigs' and other disguises in order to pass herself off as the true applicants. Completion of the Life in the UK test is a requirement for anyone seeking indefinite leave to remain or naturalisation as a British citizen. It consists of 24 questions aimed at 'proving the applicant has sufficient knowledge of British values, history and society'. Prosecutor Nana Owusuh said it was difficult for investigators to quantify the financial benefits of Maurice's 'well organised' scam or to 'calibrate any gains'. Stephen Akinsanya, defending, told the court she was not the mastermind of the scam but accepted the offences could potentially affect national security 'if people are passing tests when they have no right to be here'. 'Clearly, this is someone who has found herself involved in something far more serious than she envisioned,' he said. 'She found herself trapped to people she owed a sum of money. There are some levels of coercion and intimidation. She was not motivated by personal gain.' Of Maurice, he said: 'Prior to her arrest she was a bus driver with Arriva and looking after her 25-year-old son who was afflicted with schizophrenia. 'She foolishly agreed to help someone and this is where it has landed her – in custody and away from her son who is clearly vulnerable, that's what keeps her awake at night. 'She understands the implications of what she has done and for national security, and the court can treat such matters harshly.' Provisional driving licences were found at her home after her arrest earlier this year. The court heard Maurice had a previous fraud conviction dating back to August 2015 which involved her impersonating someone to take a driving theory test. Maurice appeared via video link from HMP Bronzefield where she has been a 'model inmate', the court heard. What kinds of questions does the Life in the UK Test ask? A study last year found that only 42 per cent of Brits would be able to pass the Life In The UK Test. Here is a sample version of the test in a slimmed-down format. 1) What was the last battle between Great Britain and France? a) Trafalgar, b) Waterloo, c) Hastings, d) Agincourt 2) Which flower is associated with Wales? a) Daffodil, b) Rose, c) Shamrock, d) Thistle 3) During the reign of Charles II, parts of London were destroyed. What was the cause of the destruction? a) War, b) Flood, c) Fire, d) Earthquake 4) How often are General Elections usually held in the UK? a) Every three years, b) Every four years, c) Every five years, d) Every 10 years 5) Scotland has its own banknotes, which are valid everywhere in the UK... a) True, b) False 6) Great Britain refers only to England, Wales and Scotland... a) True, b) False 7) Who was the tribal leader who fought the Romans? a) Cleopatra, b) Claudia, c) Boudicca, d) St Augustine 8) Who was voted the greatest Briton of all time in 2002? a) Isaac Newton, b) Winston Churchill, c) Alexander Fleming, d) Mo Farah 9) Which two houses form the UK Parliament? (choose two) a) House of Lords, b) House of Members, c) House of Commons, d) House of Fraser 10) When did women get the right to vote at the same age as men? a) 1918, b) 1928, c) 1938, d) 1948 11) Who is the head of the Church of England? a) The Prime Minister, b) The Archbishop of Canterbury, c) The Pope, d) The Monarch 12) What sort of event is the Grand National? a) Rugby match, b) Golf tournament, c) Horse race, d) Tennis tournament 13) When is Christmas Day? a) December 24, b) December 25, c) December 26, d) December 27 14) What type of literature are the Canterbury Tales? a) Poems, b) Novels, c) Jokes, d) Fables 15) Who supported King Charles I during the Civil War? a) Roundheads, b) Suffragettes, c) Quakers, d) Cavaliers Answers: 1b; 2a; 3c; 4c; 5a; 6a; 7c; 8b; 9a&c 10b; 11d; 12c; 13b; 14a; 15d
The Independent
20-05-2025
- The Independent
Woman who used wigs and false papers to take UK citizenship tests jailed
A woman who travelled around the country to complete false UK citizenship tests has been jailed for four years and six months. A series of wigs and false documents were the tools used by Josephine Maurice, 61, as she pretended to be 13 different people in order to take the Life in the UK Test between June 1 2022 and August 14 2023, Snaresbrook Crown Court heard. Maurice, a former bus driver and of Enfield, north London, had pleaded guilty to 13 counts of fraud, a charge of conspiracy to commit fraud and two counts of possession of another person's identity documents. District Judge Anthony Callaway, sentencing on Tuesday, described Maurice's actions as 'wholesale assault' on the immigration system and there was a 'clear advantage' to people who wanted to progress towards citizenship without following all the procedures. The Life in the UK Test is a requirement for anyone seeking to obtain indefinite leave to remain or naturalisation as a British citizen. According to the Home Office, it consists of 24 questions aimed at 'proving the applicant has sufficient knowledge of British values, history and society'. Her defence lawyer Stephen Akinsanya told the court that Maurice was not the mastermind of the scam but the offences could potentially rise to 'affecting national security if people are passing tests when they have no right to be here'. She was 'gainfully employed' as a bus driver but got sucked into 'something far more serious than she envisioned'. The judge told Maurice who appeared via videolink: 'You attended test centres fraudulently undertaking Life in the UK Tests on behalf of other persons who, naturally, were supposed to and were intended to be there. 'It is clear that the fraud was deliberate and sophisticated and involved the alteration of identity documents, travel documents, false wigs and other matters. 'The geography was varied. You attended in person a variety of centres in London and elsewhere including Stratford, Luton, Hounslow, Reading, Oxford, Nottingham and Milton Keynes.' Provisional driving licences were found at her home after her arrest earlier this year. Maurice has a previous fraud conviction dating back to August 2015 and 'there are similarities' to the current case as it involved her 'impersonating' someone in order to take a driving theory test, the judge said. Maurice appeared via video link from HMP Bronzefield where she has been a 'model inmate'. Earlier prosecutor Nana Owusuh said it is difficult for investigators to quantify the financial benefits of the 'well organised' scam or to 'calibrate any gains'. Mr Akinsanya described it as 'an unusual case' and told the court that for the 'level of sophistication and planning – the crown has provided no evidence that she is the mastermind of this.' He said: 'Clearly in my submission, this is someone who has found herself involved in something far more serious than she envisioned. 'She found herself trapped to people she owed a sum of money. 'There are some levels of coercion and intimidation. She was not motivated by personal gain.' Of Maurice, he said: 'Prior to her arrest she was a bus driver with Arriva and looking after her 25-year-old son who was afflicted with schizophrenia.' Mr Akinsanya said: 'She foolishly agreed to help someone and this is where it has landed her – in custody and away from her son who is clearly vulnerable, that's what keeps her awake at night. 'She understands the implications of what she has done and for national security, and the court can treat such matters harshly.'
