An illegal immigrant who was arrested after police swooped on the Hounslow restaurant where he worked has been jailed for a year.

Malkiat Singh, 24, was caught with a fake Spanish passport following a search of staff at the Mantra Restaurant in Bath Road.

Officers asked the worker to show them his identity papers, but he could only provide them with a photocopy of the fake passport. Police later searched his home where they found the original.

Singh claimed he bought the passport from a shop in Southall for £250, but gave no further details.

Police decided not to take any action against the restaurant.

Singh, of Francis Road, Hounslow, admitted possessing the bogus document and was sentenced to 12 months behind bars yesterday at Isleworth Crown Court. He faces deportation once he is released.

Caroline Haughey, prosecuting, told the court that a second restaurant worker was also found with false identity documents during the raid.

Singh was given a chance to reveal where he obtained the Spanish document, but had “unfortunately not been able to assist”, she said.

Richard Gowthorpe, defending, said Singh had not been aware of how serious it was to enter the country without legitimate documents.

He said: “There was no sinister or criminal activity behind the scam. He has lived in this country for a number of years and now fully realises his degree of wrongdoing.”

But Judge Andrew McDowall warned Singh that fake passports were treated seriously by courts as they can be used by terrorists to enter the country.

He added that he had no choice but to impose a sentence of imprisonment.

He said: “Possession and use of false documents is a serious matter.

“They are sometimes used as cover for crime or even terrorism but even at the lowest level there has to be imprisonment.”