A bogus Immigration Adviser from Birmingham who after taking thousands from unsuspecting members of the Pakistani community had his victims intimidated, has been sentenced to 27 months imprisonment.

Safhir Majid, formerly a mortgage advisor, from Cradley Heath, was recently sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court to a total of 27 months imprisonment plus a victim surcharge. Mr Majid is to serve half the sentence in custody and half on licence.

His partner, Shahid Ahmed Bhatti, a former businessman, of Great Barr, was given a 16 month sentence suspended for 24 months plus a victim surcharge.

Mr Majid, 38, and Mr Bhatti, 39, founded Empire Legal Solutions Ltd in Walsall, West Midlands, where they pretended to be qualified immigration advisers with Mr Majid posing as a fake solicitor. They then took monies from unsuspecting members of the public by providing poor advice; in one case £4,500 from a client.

Mr Majid pleaded guilty to five counts of providing unqualified immigration advice and services and one count of fraud by false representation.

Mr Bhatti pleaded guilty to one count of providing unqualified immigration advice and one count of fraud by false representation.

His Honour Judge Mayo said to Mr Majid, “You posed as a lawyer, you knew you were not qualified” and to Mr Bhatti, “Your role was lesser but when required you were able to offer enforcement”.

He went on to say concerning one particular case, “You bungled one application and as a result of your incompetence she faces removal from the UK. You threatened her husband and this is despicable behaviour, you threatened again in the case of other victims.

“Offences of this type prey on vulnerable people. Immigration relies on people being properly represented, you were incompetent and greedy. You have made a good deal of money from these frauds”.

Commenting on about the decision, Deputy Immigration Services Commissioner Dr Ian Leigh, said: “Safhir Majid and Shahid Ahmed Bhatti set up a criminal enterprise to provide immigration advice when they were not qualified or competent to do so.

“The degree of culpability is high, as is the harm they have caused. They owe a considerable amount of money to individuals, may have caused harm to unknown others and have undermined the immigration system.

“These are extremely serious offences. I am delighted with the outcome in this case.”

Notes to the Editor

1. The Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC), who took out the prosecution, is an independent public body, established under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, to regulate the provision of immigration advice and services in the UK.

2. For further information contact Cornelius Alexander, Corporate Communications Officer, at the OISC on 0207 211 1617.

More than £3 million will be invested to support creative and cultural organisations across the Northern Powerhouse.

Sheffield-based social enterprise Key Fund has been selected to distribute the Northern Cultural Regeneration Fund to creative organisations that provide a meaningful social impact in their local communities.

Groups will be eligible for grants or loans of up to £150,000. This could include using music sessions for young people not in education or craft workshops with former offenders.

The fund, which was set up to provide a lasting legacy to this summer’s Great Exhibition of the North, will also attract additional social investment to the region. It is part of the Government’s ongoing commitment to grow a culture of impact investing, including improving access to finance for local cultural and creative organisations that do social good.

Minister for Arts, Heritage and Tourism Michael Ellis said:

Creativity is one of the North’s greatest calling cards. This funding will strengthen arts and cultural organisations across the Northern Powerhouse and boost the important work they do in their local communities.

Matt Smith, Chief Executive of Key Fund Investments Ltd, said:

We are incredibly excited about the potential impact of the fund developing and supporting both the creative and cultural activity, whilst delivering social impact in disadvantaged communities across the North.

Key Fund will also partner social investor Social Investment Business for its work in the North East, and Creative United, a community interest company that works to help arts and creative businesses grow.

The social investment fund will run for two years from April 2019 and is open to non-profit creative, arts and cultural organisations. Small or medium creative businesses from industries such as crafts, design, fashion and art that can demonstrate positive social outcomes can also apply.

Notes to Editors

The fund will cover the following Local Enterprise Partnership regions: Cheshire and Warrington, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Humber, Lancashire, Leeds City Region, Liverpool City Region, North East, Sheffield City Region, Tees Valley, York and North Yorkshire and East Riding.

DASA will be hosting a dial-in event on 12 November 2018, 10am to midday to provide a short briefing on the ‘Don’t Blow It!’ Safely eliminating chemical and biological munitions on the battlefield competition followed by an open forum Q&A session.

Also available will be the opportunity to book a one to one telecon meeting with the competition team to discuss questions specific to your proposal.

Further information can be found in the competition document.

Published 6 November 2018