A MAN from Goa who came to Britain and landed a job on a false passport has been jailed for a year.

Philip Fernandes bought a false Portuguese passport and identity card in Germany as he headed to the UK from the Indian resort.

But the 47-year-old was caught after trying to get a National Insurance number at the JobCentre in Swindon.

David Maunder, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court how Fernandes produced the documents when he went to fill in the forms on Thursday, January 10.

He said the defendant had tried to get the NI number in a false name using the identity on the forged passport and ID card.

The interviewing officer from the Department for Work and Pensions was immediately suspicious of the paperwork and kept them for further examination.

Mr Maunder said the passport had been manipulated and the identity card was counterfeit.

He told the court that Fernandes was arrested three weeks later at Del Monte in Wootton Bassett, where he was working.

At the police station he was interviewed and gave his real identity and said he was from Goa.

Fernandes said he had bought the documents in Germany for 1,500 euros knowing that if he entered the UK on his genuine passport he would not be able to stay or work.

He used the passport to get into the country, open a bank account and get a job through the Pertemps agency.

Mr Maunder said: "Asked about his motivation he indicated to his knowledge it was common practice among those in Goa and so went along with the crowd."

Fernandes, of Manchester Road, pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing false identity documents with intent.

Chris Oswold, defending, said his client had been a farmer in Goa and had struggled to provide for his family.

Fernandes is illiterate, he said, but he suspected there was something wrong with the documents. But in search of a better life for his family he went through with it.

Mr Oswald said that his client was not involved in the making of the forgeries but was just the end user.

Jailing him, Judge Charles Wade said "Through your advocate you say that it is common practice for those from your country to use false documents in this way.

"If this is so I would like to send out a message that it has to stop."