A serving vicar has been arrested in an inquiry into nearly 180 “sham marriages” at an East Sussex church.
Police joined a team from the UK Border Agency to arrest four people, including the Reverend Alex Brown (no relation), 61, from St Peter and St. Paul Church, St Leonards. Det Insp Andy Cummins said Tuesday’s arrests followed an 18-month probe into allegations that nearly 180 sham marriages had been arranged.
A Chichester diocese spokesman said the vicar had been suspended from duty. DI Cummins said the bogus marriages “allowed non-EU nationals to remain within the UK and EU member states”. More than 35 officers carried out dawn raids at six addresses in St Leonards and Hastings.
Mr Brown, 61, was arrested on suspicion of conspiring to facilitate the illegal entry of people to the UK. A 32-year-old Ukrainian man and a 27-year-old Latvian woman, believed to have been one of the brides, were both arrested on suspicion of facilitation offences at an address in Anglesea Terrace, Hastings.
A 36-year-old Armenian man was arrested at a property in Linton Road, Hastings, for the same alleged offence.
Oh – I thought it was going to be all about ‘pretend families’
Woooo! East Sussex!
Shame my home county wasn’t mentioned in a ‘good’ story, haha.
Peace People!
(|(o) (o)|) – DB you’re an Icon, magic Was getting stagnant, you Made it cool again By your new approach to it… at least that’s the thought’s of Me
– (|(o) (o)|)
Married in church and then you can stay in the UK, legally? That’s not possible here.
Another mesh of the net in the uk that needs to be closed then huh?
Brown … aha ….
Immigration via marriage is probably legal in your country, MsG.
I kind of have to sympathise. Immigration is really tough and sometimes it’s really difficult or impossible to get through the red tape and you’ll do pretty much anything to not get kicked out.
Ha Ha! Wish i knew him!