In a more unusual case involving illegal workers, a pub landlord in Manchester has been fined for employing an illegal immigrant.
However, this particular immigrant was a family friend of over 30 years and a resident in the UK for over 50 years.
Mike Hill, 50, had employed former postman Robert Jordan, 56, to work as a barman in his pub The Bay Horse since 2009, the Daily Mail reported .
But unbeknownst to Mr Hill, Mr Jordan had been living in the country illegally since 1962 because he was born in the US and only moved to the UK with his British mother when he was three. While he was given a US passport, neither he nor his mother realised he needed to apply for British citizenship in order to remain in the UK officially.
When the situation came to light, eight UK immigration officers attended the pub on an anonymous tip off and arrested Mr Jordan. The father of three was warned that he would be deported back to his birthplace and the pub landlord Mr Hill was issued with a Civil Penalty Notice and a fine of £15,000 which has been reduced to £10,000 upon appeal.
Mr Hill told the paper: “The whole thing is ridiculous but we don't blame Carl for any of it. He has lived here for 53 years and worked and paid his taxes since he was a teenager. How anyone can brand him an illegal immigrant is beyond me.”
He added that he had “no knowledge of Carl's [as Mr Jordan is known among friends] immigration status”, noting that it was “just a bit of a joke between people that he had an American passport”.
The landlord also noted that when they first employed him they photocopied his UK driving licence as photo ID and had a P46 from his last job which had his National Insurance number on. These were the only checks they were aware of as necessary.