Northampton restaurants fined in sting on illegal workers
A SERIES of raids on restaurants in Northampton by immigration officers resulted in illegal workers being arrested and two firms now being landed with substantial fines.
Officers from the UK Border Agency conducted the raids at three restaurants last year and arrested four illegal immigrants working illegally.
Pizza Plus, in Bridge Street, Northampton was raided in March and a Mauritian member of staff, aged 29, was found to have no right to work in the UK. He was deported from the UK to Mauritius a month later but this week the restaurant’s owners were fined £5,000.
The Beijing Palace, in Kingsley Park Terrace, Kingsley, Northampton, was raided in July and two Chinese members of staff, aged 24 and 21, were found working illegally. The 21-year-old was deported to China while the 24-year-old was released on bail awaiting removal from the UK.
A spokesman for the UK Border Agency said both businesses were given the chance to prove the correct right-to-work checks were made before the workers had been taken on. However, they failed to do so and the owners of Pizza Plus were fined £5,000 while the Beijing Palace was fined £10,000.
The owners of the Aroma restaurant in Sol Central, Northampton, which closed on New Year’s Day, now also face a £5,000 fine.
Aiming Yu, aged 67, was arrested on November 23 in a similar immigration raid at the Aroma restaurant in Sol Central, Northampton on November 23.
Having arrived in the UK from China on a tourist visa in 2004, he overstayed and was employed there as a dishwasher at the time of his arrest.
Yu, of Penryn Road, Far Cotton pleaded guilty at Northampton Crown Court to possessing a forged Chinese passport and a Home Office registration card and was jailed for a year. David Everett, mitigating, said Yu said his “tears from torture in China were no less than the water in the Thames”.
As Yu fell to his knees in the dock, Judge Richard Bray said: “You’ve made a moving statement about the tears you have shed from your trouble from the Chinese government - tears that have flowed like the River Thames. I cannot provide happiness for you but I can provide a fair sentence.”
Chief Immigration Officer Melanie Partridge, from the Immigration team for Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire (West), said: “Employers are responsible for carrying out document checks and we work with businesses to let them know what they need to do.
“Those who choose to break the law should know that we are looking for them and they will face heavy fines.”
Immigration Minister Damian Green said: “Illegal working has damaging social and economic consequences for the UK. It undercuts businesses that operate within the law, undermines British workers, and exploits migrant workers.
“The message is clear for employers — we will not tolerate illegal working and we will take firm action against those who ignore the rules.”
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Comments
There are 9 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
Real_Talk
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 10:58 AMPizza Plus, i totally agree
donathome
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 06:53 AMPizzaPlus makes some fair points. And if the Illeagle did hold the relevant documents, what are they to do? I'm all for businesses being fined when they break the rules, but surely also the authorities, should also bear some of the responsibility in this case.
PizzaPlus
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 04:07 AMwe also would like underline the fact that we had no knowledge of the hearing which has taken place. we are in act-knowledge of the u.k border-agencies letter, however we have not had any responce to our appeal.which we have had sent to them. we will update with the out come and do our upmost to clear the shame that are been to stick to our establishment.
PizzaPlus
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 03:54 AMI am not even Mauritian, this is a very small take-away not even a restaurant, unlike other examples of restaurants which their origin working for them illegally !. we would be insane to carry such activities with an open kitchen bang of a middle of bridge street which is one of the busiest high street in town, we recruit people to serve like all customers will know, we do not hide people under the sink for our luxuries restaurants mass load of dishes. let alone our whole years profit is less than the money in question which is demanded from us by the local goverment which meant to protect us not make an other small business suffer. and push us to the edge been closed like the half of the town.
PizzaPlus
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 08:47 PMwe would like ensure all the northamptoshirer's that we have not intensionaly employed this individua. it is just a serious of circumtabces on behalf of the individual in question. we do not want to damage social and economic consequences for the UK. We did not wanted to undercuts businesses that operate within the law, we did not undermines British workers, and we did not exploits migrant workers. if everythings is that simple why are these people around doing, who lets them in the country, why do we get fouled with papers and bank accounts. who opens them a bank account ? who rent them the houses ? where is the local police intellegent that informs small business instead of fining the £ 5.000 perperson are we repeat offender we only wanted to help a student we are sorry from everbody for the news that makes us sound like outlaw people or public enemies. kind regards pizza plus
PizzaPlus
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 08:19 PMWhen we have employed the person question, he had the relevant paperwork then, we had no knowledge of his school circumtances due to fail of a school fee, his college stopped his visa which concluded him to be a illegal immagrent and no permit to work which we had no knowledge of it until the officers turned. we are disappointed abut the decision cause we have forwarded an appeal; from which we have not receipt a reply yet. also what amazes me more, if this is the case why wait for the individual to turn up work and arrest him, where as he could have been arrested in his house. we have imported this guy and we have not house this guy only done part-time job in a shop that only opens few days. i do not think all these news is not real truth in a real fact and personally thinks this fine is unjustifyable.
Real_Talk
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 03:02 PMOH NOOO.. AROMA WHY??
Finker
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 11:36 AMThink the message is the same Jackson which is why they arrest them.
Removed by moderator
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 11:02 AM“The message is clear for employers — we will not tolerate illegal working and we will take firm action against those who ignore the rules" How about cannabis farrmers then? They are self employed I beileve?
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