Immigration officers came across a man trying to hide inside a suitcase in the back of a car trying to get into the UK.

The driver, Dashti Omar Abdulrahman, from Wells in Somerset, has now been jailed for two years for attempting to smuggle the man into the country.

Abdulrahman, 42, of Cherry Tree Court was driving the VW Polo when it was stopped by UK border officials at the Channel Tunnel controls in Coquelles, France.

They found the Iraqi man inside the suitcase when they inspected the vehicle on November 5, last year.

Abdulrahman admitted the charges before him yesterday at Canterbury Crown Court and was sent to prison.

When the vehicle was searched officers found two suitcases, one in the boot and one on the back seat. The Iraqi man was hiding inside the one on the seat.

Officials questioned Abdulrahman, a British national, who said he was on his way back from the Netherlands where he had been visiting family.

He was arrested and the investigation passed to Immigration Enforcement Criminal and Financial Investigation officers and later charged with assisting unlawful immigration into the UK.

Assistant Director David Fairclough, from the Immigration Enforcement Criminal and Financial Investigation team, said: "Abdulrahman offered no explanation, neither during interview, nor in court, for his actions, but whatever his motive, there is no excuse for such a breach of the UK’s immigration laws.

"The sentences handed out today should serve as a warning to anyone tempted to get involved in this kind of criminality. We will catch you and put you before the courts."

The Iraqi man was passed to the French Police Aux Frontieres.

Anyone with information about suspected immigration abuse can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 anonymously or visit www.crimestoppers-uk.org.