Three immigrants jailed

Three immigrants who escaped from the Hal Far immigration centre after awaiting deportation for four months were yesterday jailed for six months.

Kamrun Hassan Mohammed Jafreddin, 24, Seddiq Anwar, 31, and Abdul Garem, 31, of Bangladesh, and Fadel Bader, 32, of Sudan, pleaded guilty to escaping from the centre on July 16.

They were, however, cleared of causing damage during the escape.

The four men formed part of a group of 17 illegal immigrants who escaped from the centre by cutting through the iron bars of a window, Police Inspector Sandro Zarb said.

They were among the 250 illegal immigrants who drifted into Xlendi Bay, Gozo, on March 4, and were given a one-week jail term suspended for a month soon after.

Dr Richard Sladden was appointed legal aid for the four men.