An Albanian tried to enter the UK illegally by flying from Malta using a false Greek passport as he was not in possession of a visa, a court heard this morning.

Aurel Cepele, 36, who was arrested by the British migration police last Sunday, pleaded not guilty when he was charged before Magistrate Charmaine Galea. 

Prosecuting office inspector Mario Haber expressed concern and said such crimes should not be taken lightly in the wake of recent terrorist attacks in Europe.

Mr Cepele was sentenced to a 12-month jail term suspended for three years.

Earlier, a 49-year old Russian woman admitted to forging a property lease agreement to extend her stay in Malta, and was handed an eight-month jail term suspended for two years.

Zhanna Vegele, who had been residing in Xemxija, was charged caught out in an Identity Malta investigation. 

Sources said she was been on the island for 10 years but it was only recently that she tried to extend her residence permit fraudulently.

Police inspector Victor Aquilina prosecuted while lawyer Helen Caruana was defence counsel.

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