Bolton: Man used false passport for 'lads' holiday'

Moheed Khan, 45, had travelled from his home in Bolton, through the port of Dover and to Amsterdam on another man’s passport on November 22 last year.

Bolton Crown Court heard how he had apparently paid £300 for the passport after his own had expired but was caught on his way back into the UK.

Prosecutor Eleanor Mitten said: “He said that he had lost his passport in Amsterdam and that his friend had given him his passport.

“He did not give the name of his friend.”

The case was heard at Bolton Crown Court (Image: Newsquest)

Ms Mitten told the court that on being brought back into the UK, Khan eventually referred to his friend simply as “Imran.”

He claimed that he had used the man’s passport after his own had expired before the holiday took place.

Ms Mitten said: “He stated that he had got the passport from a friend called Imran two or three days ago.”

She added: “He did not provide any details for Imran.”

Khan, who appeared via video link from prison and has 17 previous convictions for 48 offences, later admitted that the passport had been collected from somewhere in Bolton “possibly near the train station.”

He pleaded guilty to possessing false identity documents when brought before Wigan and Leigh Magistrates Court.

Alex Beevers, defending, argued that Khan was entitled to full credit for his guilty plea but admitted the case was one “where severity meets stupidity in equal measure.”

He said: “It was quite simply that the defendant’s passport had expired.”

He added: “It was obtained with a view to going on a lads’ holiday, I don’t mean that flippantly, this is serious.

“There is no other motivation other than that he simply wanted to go away.”

Mr Beevers told the court that Khan, of Crescent Road in Great Lever, had shown real remorse for his actions since his arrest.

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He said: “Mr Khan is truly sorry for what can only be described as an act of abject foolishness.”

Recorder Jon Close accepted that there were no “nefarious purposes” behind Khan’s trip to Amsterdam but said his behaviour was “stunning in its foolishness.”

He said: “It is difficult to put into words just how stupid what you chose to do it.”

He added that Khan’s crime was “utterly unsophisticated other than, as I have already stated, one of breath-taking stupidity.”

Recorder Close jailed Khan for a total of 12 months.