A 42-year-old man has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment after being found guilty of more than 20 offences of deception, including purporting to be a solicitor with connections to the Home Office.

In September 2004, Kent Police’s Organised Crime Unit charged Romanian-born Cornel Tirnaveanu with more than 20 offences of deception.

Tirnaveanu pleaded not guilty and a trial began at Canterbury Crown Court on September 19 this year. The jury on Thursday returned a guilty verdict.

During the court case, Romanian witnesses gave evidence via video-link from Bucharest to the court. This is believed to be the first time witnesses have given evidence this way from Bucharest.

Part of Tirnaveanu’s deception included claiming to be a solicitor with connections to the Home Office.

Assuming this role, he obtained large amounts of money from vulnerable people wanting to enter the country, promising that he would provide them with British passports.

Tirnaveanu, from Wallhouse Road, Erith, charged up to £10k for a passport which he claimed to be genuine. In most cases these passports were not provided.

In other cases where the passports have been used, they have been found to be forged and those using them have been arrested trying to enter the country.

Tirnaveanu’s wife, Victoria Florica Tirnaveanu, 40, was also sentenced to one year's imprisonment for her part in the deception.

Kent Police’s Det Sgt David Mellin commented: “This is a good example of what can be achieved by working with our partners. Tirnaveanu targeted vulnerable people and abused their trust in him for his own personal gain.

“We will continue to work with our partner agencies, including the Immigration Service, to take vigorous action against these criminals including those who profit from the exploitation of others.”

Tirnaveanu was charged as a result of a joint Kent Police and UK Immigration Service criminal and immigration investigation into the supply of false identification documents.

Immigration Minister Tony McNulty said: "This outcome is the result of close co-operation and hard work on the part of UK Immigration Service and Kent Police. It is an excellent example of what can be achieved by agencies working together and sharing intelligence.

"The government is determined to take vigorous action against those who profit from the exploitation of migrants and break the law. I congratulate both Kent Police and the UKIS on their conduct of a very successful investigation.

"I would add that this investigation was supported by Project Reflex, the multi-agency taskforce which co-ordinates enforcement against organised immigration crime.

"Reflex conducted 343 operations during 2004-05, resulting in 1,456 arrests and sending a clear message to criminals who would seek to profit by breaking our immigration laws."

Upon sentencing, Judge Vanpdbijl commented that it was "document deception on a grand scale".

He added: "You have taken advantage of the desperation of vulnerable people and prayed upon them in the most cynical way."