Court is told Albanian men had fake passports at Belfast International Airport
A court has been told two Albanian men had fake passports at Belfast International Airport.
Nikelson Kanushi (25) and Rinald Ahmetaj (21), were detected on April 23 this year.
They appeared at Antrim Magistrates Court, sitting in Ballymena, via video link from prison and pleaded guilty to charges of possessing a false identity document.
They also admitted a charge of entering the UK without permission. The men had the assistance of an interpreter at court.
The court was told the offences came to light at 4.20am when the men were stopped by immigration officers at the airport.
A prosecutor said the men are Albanian nationals who do not hold the "requisite leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom".
"Polish passports were produced and officers assessed these as counterfeit documents," she added. Both men were arrested and taken to a police station.
A defence barrister for Kanushi said his client had been "seeking refuge" but the Home Office advised he is to be deported.
Ahmetaj, who did not have legal representation at court, said "the reason I wanted to go to London was to be safer for my own life".
He said he had arrived on the island of Ireland by using an Albanian passport to fly into Shannon Airport.
Both defendants have each received prison sentences of two months.
District Judge Nigel Broderick said: "It appears that after they serve their sentence they are likely to be deported by the Home Office."