AN illegal immigrant who helped his wife and son move to Britain has been spared jail because he is mentally ill.

Sukhdev Singh, 37, right, was yesterday handed a 12-month supervision order at Oxford Crown Court.

Singh, of Alesworth Grove, Headington, was charged with obtaining a British passport by deception in August 2004, and two counts of assisting unlawful immigration in May 2009.

He also faced three charges of possession of an illegal British passport in May 2009, in October 2009, and in August 2010.

He was found guilty on August 31 after a two-day trial.

Paul Harrison, prosecuting, said: β€œHe pretended he was born in Oxford in 1975 when all the evidence clearly showed he was not born in the United Kingdom at all.”

Singh does not speak English so sentencing proceedings were translated to him by a Punjabi interpreter.