A magistrate said yesterday he wished someone would come forward with information that would help the police catch those selling false travel documents to illegal immigrants.

Magistrate Antonio Vella was commenting at the arraignment of three illegal immigrants who tried to use false documents to leave the island. A fourth even managed to travel to England.

Adama Doumbia, 20, Banja Diallo, 25, both from Mali, and Yousuf Cumar, 30, from Somalia pleaded guilty to having been in possession of false Italian residency cards, identity cards and travel documents on Wednesday when they tried to board a plane headed for Italy.

Habtom Kiflom, 21, from Eritrea was apprehended in the UK and sent back on Tuesday.

Police Inspector Edel Mary Camilleri, prosecuting, said those caught always denied knowing who they had paid to get the fake travel documents. Because of this lack of cooperation, the real culprits were never caught.

She said that Mr Kiflom had been of some help but had thrown away any phone numbers of the person who had given him the false documents. Mr Kiflom argued that, having reached his destination, he did not need them anymore.

Legal aid lawyer Noel Bartolo said his clients had committed the crimes because they were desperate; they had no work and could not afford to buy food.

The prosecuting officer said she was "in limbo" because, although she understood their situation, she wanted to catch the people selling the documents and was finding no cooperation. Thus, she had no option but to jail the three men for six months. Mr Kiflom was given a two-year jail term suspended for one year given that he had helped the police in their investigations.