The discovery of illegal workers on the site was described as 'ironic to say the least' at Flintshire magistrates' court
A number of illegal workers have been found to be working on the construction of Britain’s newest prison, a court heard today.
Immigration enforcement officers raided the site of the new £212m Berwyn Prison in Wrexham on Friday.
One Ukrainian man said to have been in the UK illegally for 10 years was remanded in custody when he appeared at Flintshire magistrates’ court at Mold this morning.
The case against Volodymyr Pidodvirnyy, 37, who gave an address in John Street, Manchester, was sent to Mold Crown Court.
He is charged with possessing two false Latvian driving licences at the prison construction site.
No pleas were entered.
Nicola Wyn Williams, prosecuting, said he was arrested during an immigration enforcement visit to the prison site on the Wrexham Industrial Estate on Friday.
It was alleged that his 12-month work permit ended in 2006 and that he had stayed illegally in the UK ever since.
Two Latvian driving licenses with his photograph and details on were false, she alleged.
Defending solicitor Stephen Edwards said officers from Liverpool had raided the prison site on Friday and a number of illegal workers were arrested.
“It’s quite ironic to say the least,” he told magistrates.
“It is fair to say that Wrexham custody suite looked very much like the United Nations yesterday, when a large number of males were brought in.”
Mr Edwards told the court that those who did not have false documents on them had been taken directly to an immigration centre.
His client was alleged to have produced two false driving licenses and had been kept in custody to appear in court.
Mr Edwards said he would not make a bail application and said his client’s immigration status and other issues needed to be checked before he could enter his pleas.
The Manchester address had been provided to him by his employer, a sub contractor on the prison construction project.
He suggested that a Russian interpreter should be appointed for his appearance at Mold Crown Court next month.
The £212m prison facility will be big enough to hold around 2,000 inmates when it opens in February of next year.
HMP Berwyn has been named after the local Berwyn mountain range.
see-http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/illegal-workers-found-wrexham-prison-11195465
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