Jersey deputy guilty of breaking immigration law

Deputy Philip Ozouf pleaded guilty to five counts of breaking Jersey's immigration law

A Jersey politician will be sentenced for breaking the island's immigration law.

Deputy Philip Ozouf appeared in Jersey's Royal Court after pleading guilty to four counts of assisting unlawful immigration and one count of attempting to assist unlawful immigration.

The court heard he arranged for people from Rwanda to work at his laundry, My Eco Laundry, when they did not have the legal right to do.

In September, the former minister was suspended for breaking the States Members' code of conduct.

The Privileges and Procedures Committee put forward the proposal after Ozouf was fined for speeding and not having a valid insurance disc, and for failing to attend three parish hall enquiries.

Ozouf was first elected to the States in November 1999 and has previously held roles including deputy chief minister, treasury and resources minister and external relations minister.

Jersey's Royal Court granted Ozouf conditional bail until his sentencing date is set in February.

He was charged alongside the director of the Savoy Hotel, Roberto Lora, who pleaded not guilty to two counts of assisting unlawful immigration and two of attempting to assist unlawful immigration.

Three charges related to helping Rwandan nationals work at My Eco Laundry while a fourth is concerned with helping a Rwandan national work at an address in St Lawrence.

Mr Lora will face a five-day trial before the Inferior Number on 26 January.