Family admits sham marriage scam
SIX members of a family who took part in a sham marriage scam with illegal immigrants desperate to stay in the UK were facing jail today.
The Williams family, from Handsworth, Dudley and Rowley Regis, were being sentenced for their part in the biggest immigration con the West Midlands has seen.
The four brothers and two sisters pleaded guilty to marrying foreign nationals in fake marriages.
Two other people, including a friend of the family and a Jamaican national who married one of the Williams’ sons were also due to be sentenced today at Birmingham Crown Court.
The court heard yesterday that they were targeted by ruthless mastermind Venrick Clarke who used sophisticated forgery and threats of violence to organise weddings so that immigrants could claim citizenship.
He was jailed in August for arranging 34 fake marriages by targeting vulnerable drug and drink addicts.
It was acknowledged in court that most of the defendants had been or were dependent on Class A drugs
All of the marriages took place between 2003 and 2006 and there were photographers, fake guests, witnesses, a reception and even clothes and rings provided by Clarke.
Clarke would pay the British would-be wives and husbands in drugs or cash and would take between £3,000 and £5,000 from the foreign nationals.
The court heard that the “bride and groom” would only meet each other as they were being driven to Birmingham registry office or the church.
In one instance the bride was pictured by the official photographer in an intimate embrace with her real partner soon after being pictured with her “husband.”
Many of the African and Jamaican immigrants they married are still listed as “over stayers” and are at large.
Natalie Williams, aged 26-year-old from St Johns Road, Dudley, pleaded guilty to taking part in a sham marriage with a Jamaican national in September 2004.
He has still not been located. She also attended a sham marriage and signed as a witness with a fake name.
Luke Williams, who is 24 and from St John’s Road, in Dudley, married a Jamaican in a sham marriage in November 2004 and his spouse remains at large.
Amanda Williams, who is 35 and lives in Tiperty Green, Rowley Regis, married a Nigerian in June 2007.
Brett Williams, who is 31 and from Hornchurch Road, Dudley, married a Jamaican in October 2003 at Sandwell Register Office.
