Two men were caught smuggling illegal immigrants OUT of the UK because they couldn’t make a life for themselves here.

The men have received suspended sentences with 120 hours unpaid community work.

Mohammed Javid, 39, and Arif Mahmoud, 34, appeared for sentence at Canterbury Crown Court having admitted committing a breach of UK immigration law.

James Bilsland, prosecuting, said both were stopped as they were leaving Dover on March 15.

Mahmood, from Rochdale, was driving a hired Ford Mondeo and was reluctant to open the boot when requested.

A security officer then opened it and found two Pakistani men curled up inside.

Both were illegall immigrants and eligible to be deported back to Pakistan.

Mahmood said he had hired the car and knew the men were in the boot. They had no passports and the plan was to leave them in France.

Javid said he had met the men round the local community in Rochdale where he also lived.

They had said they had no prospects in the area and wanted to leave and he agreed to help them.

Oliver Saxby, for Javid, said his involvement was very limited.

He submitted the offence was at the lower end of the scale and not part of any wider operation.

Peter Alcock, for Mahmood, said he agreed to get involved because he and Javid were going to France any way.

He had been in the UK over 10 years, had two children and had been assessed at low risk of re-offending.

He has lost his job as a machine operative.

Sentencing both, Judge Anthony Webb, said he didn’t believe the defendants’ stories saying the fact the two men were hidden in the boot showed they knew they were doing something illegal.