THREE Iraqi men have been jailed by Ipswich Crown Court for entering Britain illegally.Serwan Hussain, 23, Delshad Kader, 18, and Rizgar Mohammed, 24, told officials they had come into the country through the Port of Felixstowe in a truck in December.

THREE Iraqi men have been jailed by Ipswich Crown Court for entering Britain illegally.

Serwan Hussain, 23, Delshad Kader, 18, and Rizgar Mohammed, 24, told officials they had come into the country through the Port of Felixstowe in a truck in December.

They filled out applications forms to become asylum-seekers, but they used false names and gave false information because they had actually been in the United Kingdom since 2001 and had had their true applications rejected.

All three men, who said they were from northern Iraq, pleaded guilty to entering the UK without permission.

The court heard that once Iraqi nationals reached Britain they could not be deported back to Iraq because of the current political situation.

It also heard that the country that came to Britain from, in this case France, would not take them back.

Judge John Devaux was told the men did not know what had become of their families in Iraq.

He heard that Hussain, Kader and Mohammed were unable to claim benefits or work legally and had to be supported by charities and a network of Iraqi nationals who were in this country legally and took in refugees in return for work around their homes.

He also heard that the Kurdish-speaking defendants had fled from torture and persecution in their own country.

Judge Devaux said: "In 2001 you had your applications for asylum refused and your appeals against that turned down. So in December you all gave false details when you made fresh applications. The authorities do not accept you are genuine asylum-seekers and it is not for this court to say they are wrong."

He said the maximum penalty was two years in prison but because they were of previous good character and had pleaded guilty they were each sentenced to nine months in custody.

In a separate case, it was revealed that a car smash at Copdock turned into an illegal immigration sting.

Police investigating the crash on December 23 last year found an illegal immigrant with a holdall full of cash.

The man sitting with him in the car appeared on Thursday at South-East Suffolk Magistrates Court charged with helping to smuggle him in.

Mohamud Muumin, 32, was charged under a Dutch address, but is believed to be of Somalian extraction.

Speaking through an interpreter, he denied the charge of facilitating the entry of an illegal immigrant.

Muumin was committed to face trial at Crown Court. He was remanded in custody to reappear at the magistrates court on February 20.