Joy Emman, aged 30, was just about to marry a Portuguese man, which would have granted her the right to live and work within the European Union, when immigration officers swooped and arrested the not-so-happy couple.
The wedding had been due to ta
ke place at St Andrews, All Saints and The Ark church in Great Billing, Northampton in June last year but it was brought to a sudden halt when the bride, groom and best man were arrested and taken in for questioning.
Police and immigration officers from the UK Border Agency had been tipped off and were waiting, suspecting it to be a sham marriage so the Nigerian national would to be able to remain in the UK.
After being questioned, the groom, who is now missing, and the bride admitted they could not understand each other's languages but said they communicated by sign language. A spokesman for the UK Border Agency said Emman was six-and-a-half months pregnant.
At Northampton Crown Court, Emman pleaded guilty to possessing a forged Nigerian passport while Roberto Tavares, who was to have been her groom, has gone on the run since he failed to answer his bail.
Rebecca Wade, prosecuting, said charges relating to conspiracy to facilitate a breach of immigration laws would now be dropped.
John Lloyd-Jones, in mitigation, said the mother-of-two, who is a hairdresser in Dagenham in Essex, had been here illegally since 2001. He said: "This offence crosses the custody threshold but regardless, the court may want to suspend the sentence against this defendant.
"I would not want your honour to think she's manipulated the sanctity of marriage for gain. This marriage was for the best reasons rather than immigration reasons. She accepts she is here illegally and is plainly at risk of deportation."
Judge Charles Wide QC adjourned sentencing for reports, released her on bail. He added: "She must prepare herself for custody and for the possibility of deportation. Whatever the report says, custody remains well on the cards."
